HC Deb 19 June 1951 vol 489 cc32-4W
77. Mr. Garner-Evans

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning what leave was given to Mrs. Monica Felton, the chairman of the Stevenage Development Corporation, to visit North Korea.

Mr. Dalton:

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the Deputy Leader of the Opposition last Wednesday. I had no information of Mrs. Felton's intention to visit North Korea.

79. Miss Hornsby-Smith

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning if he will state the terms of employment of the chairman of the Stevenage Development Corporation and the salary paid.

Mr. Dalton:

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Mr. S. Marshall) yesterday.

81. Mr. Shepherd

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning what were Dr. Felton's qualifications for the post of Chairman of the Stevenage Development Corporation; and what steps he proposes to take to prevent her from engaging in political controversy.

85. Captain Duncan

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning what were the qualifications for appointment of Mrs. Monica Felton, an employee in his Department; and what steps he is taking to prevent her engaging in political controversy.

Mr. Dalton:

Mrs. Felton was never an employee in my Department. Among her qualifications for the Chairmanship of Stevenage Development Corporation, to which my predecessor appointed her, were that she had been Deputy-Chairman of that Corporation from October, 1946, to April, 1948, and Chairman of Peterlee Development Corporation from March, 1948, to October, 1949. She had previously been a member of the Hertfordshire County Council and of the London County Council. She had also served on the New Towns Committee, which reported in 1946. The second part of each Question does not now arise.

87. Major Lloyd

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning what were the duties of Mrs. Monica Felton as chairman of the Stevenage Development Corporation; what periods of absence she has been granted; and for what purposes.

Mr. Dalton:

The duties of the chairman of a development corporation are, in association with his colleagues, to plan and organise the building of the new town. Mrs. Felton was not, so far as I am aware, granted any specific leave of absence since her appointment, but normally I should leave such matters to be dealt with by the corporation as a matter of day-to-day administration.

88. Major Lloyd

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning what are the names and qualifications of the officers and part-time officers of the Stevenage Development Corporation; and what are the conditions of their service and their pay and allowances.

Mr. Dalton:

In all new town corporations, the members are part-time, chairmen receive £1,500 a year, deputy chairmen £750 a year, and other members £400 a year. All members are entitled to official expenses on the scale of temporary Government commissions. The following are the particulars of the Stevenage Corporation:

Chairman: Vacant.

Vice-Chairman: Mr. J. Corina. Director of Royal Arsenal Co-operative Society and of Progress Estates Ltd. Member of the National Council of Labour and of the National Authority of Co-operative Movements. Deputy Chairman of the Co-operative Union.

Colonel J. A. Davies. Retired from the Army (Royal Engineers) in 1947. Deputy Managing Director of the British Tabulating Machine Co.

Mrs. E. Donnington. Vice-Chairman of L.C.C. Housing Committee. Has been Chairman of Co-ordinating Panel of the Housing and Town Planning Committees. Until April, 1949, was Chairman of Town Planning Committee of St. Pancras.

Mr. C. T. Every. Partner in the firm of Langdon and Every.

Mr. S. Gestetner. Chairman and Managing Director of the firm of Gestetner Ltd.

Mr. P. T. Ireton. Member of the Stevenage Urban District Council and Chairman of its Town Planning Committee for some years. Member of the Hertfordshire County Council. Railway Clerk.

Mr. W. A. Winson. Chairman and Managing Director of S.P.D. Ltd. (subsidiary company of Lever Bros. and Unilever Organisation).

98. Mr. Hutchinson

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning whether he will make a further statement relating to the circumstances in which Mrs. Monica Felton was dismissed by him from the Stevenage New Town Corporation.

Mr. Dalton:

No. I have nothing to add to what I said last Wednesday.