Hansard - Decisive days and some things don't change

[mongers]

I was looking up the details of the May 7th, 8th commons debate on the Norway fiasco here:

http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/sittings/1940/may/07

The days full debate on the conduct of the war is here:
http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1940/may/07/conduct-of-the-war

I thought it worthwhile to read in full, but there's also plenty of ordinary, odd and just plain weird commons business and questioned answered on the day for instance:

Housing in Scotland:
http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1940/may/07/housing
The new build figures put our recent efforts to shame and that was in wartime.

Post war Monetary policy:
http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1940/may/07/monetary-policy

Motoring offences
http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1940/may/07/motoring-offences-penalties

Lots about Army Equipment shortages:

http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1940/may/07/north-western-expeditionary-force

NORTH-WESTERN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE.
1025
HC Deb 07 May 1940 vol 360 cc1025-6 1025
§
19. Captain Plugge  asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of German radio propaganda, he will assure the House that the tinned food supplied to the British troops in Norway is of the highest possible quality?
§
Mr. Stanley  The tinned food supplied to the troops is accepted only if it conforms in every respect to the recognised specifications which are laid so as to ensure that the best quality is obtained.
§
Mr. Dingle Foot  asked the Secretary of State for War whether the troops taking part in the Norwegian expedition have been adequately supplied with dark glasses for protection 1026
against the sun on the snow; and whether any ill-effects have 1026 been experienced as the
result of the shortage of such equipment?
§
Mr. Stanley  Snow goggles were provided for the troops that went to Narvik. They were not immediately available for the troops that went elsewhere, but steps were at once taken to supply them. No reports have been received of any ill effects as the result of the absence of goggles.

Paper Economy

http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1940/may/07/paper-economy

HC Deb 07 May 1940 vol 360 c1043 1043
§
62. Mr. Leslie Boyce  asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will issue an order to all Government Departments to conduct correspondence on both sides of the paper and to make use of incoming envelopes for outgoing correspondence, in order that an example may be set to business houses and private persons?
§
The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Captain Crookshank)  Instructions have already been given for the use of both sides of the paper, and for the re-use of envelopes interdepartmentally. Special labels to enable ordinary incoming envelopes to be re-used are being printed and will shortly be issued to Departments.
§
Mr. Boyce  Will the right hon. and gallant Gentleman also consider the question of carbon copies of letters many pages of which only consist of one or two lines but occupy a separate sheet of paper?
§
Captain Crookshank  Yes, Sir, I will consider that, but that is another question.

This one surprised me, given the events about to be unleased on the continent and what would happen to the South coast in the next few months.

Soldiers Making Way for Tourists.
http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1940/may/07/canvas-camps

CANVAS CAMPS.
1027
HC Deb 07 May 1940 vol 360 cc1027-8 1027
§
24. Mr. R. Gibson  asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will make arrangements, as was done during the last war, for increasing the number of troops under 1028
canvas during the summer 1028 months, with a view to releasing as many hotels and similar
premises as possible for the use of summer visitors?
§
Mr. Stanley  Yes, Sir.

FILM "GONE WITH THE WIND".
http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1940/may/07/film-gone-with-the-wind

HC Deb 07 May 1940 vol 360 c1044 1044
§
66. Mr. Neil Maclean  asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer Company, in addition to charging 70 per cent. of the takings from cinemas exhibiting "Gone with the Wind," are imposing a condition that the minimum charge for seats must be 3s. 6d. in the afternoon and 4s. 6d. in the evening; and what steps he proposes to take to stop this case of profiteering?
§
67. Sir J. Lucas  asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the excessive overcharge being made here in the case of the film "Gone with the Wind," he will, by Order-in-Council or otherwise, prohibit the exhibition of this film?
§
Sir A. Duncan  I have no power to prohibit the exhibition of this film or to regulate the prices of seats in cinemas; but I would refer the hon. Members to the replies given to their Questions on this subject on 30th April.
§
Sir J. Lucas  Is the Minister aware that the American profits alone on this film have reached over £3,000,000, even after £30,000 has been paid for the book, and will he stop all this money going out of the country?

And finally:
GOLFER RIFLEMEN.
http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1940/may/07/golfer-riflemen

GOLFER RIFLEMEN.
1029
HC Deb 07 May 1940 vol 360 c1029 1029
§
33. Colonel Burton  asked the Secretary of State for War whether the national campaign to train golfers to handle rifles to deal with Germans landing by parachute has been inaugurated with his consent?
§
Mr. Stanley  No, Sir.
§
Colonel Burton  Can my right hon. Friend say whether there is any substance in the report?
§
Mr. Stanley  No, Sir.

I find it a great resource and could spend hours there:
http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/

By the way read some of the pre-war commons business and you'll see how little 'England' has changed in some respect, plenty about animal welfare, gypsies etc.

[MadImmortalMan]

Sir J. Lucas is a complete moron.

[Ed Anger]

Damn Americans.

[mongers]

13th May 1940 - the new prime minister:

http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/sittings/1940/may/13

[Ed Anger]

LIFE OF MARK TWAIN (BROADCAST).
HC Deb 19 December 1941 vol 376 c2233 2233

    § 15. Mr. Douglas

    asked the Minister of Information whether he has considered the effect of the broadcast of a so-called autobiography of Mark Twain on 14th December on the relations between this country and the United States of America; and whether he has taken any steps with the British Broadcasting Corporation on the matter?

    § The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Information (Mr. Thurtle)

    My right hon. Friend has no reason to suppose that our relations with the United States have been prejudiced in any way by this broadcast, which was based entirely on facts drawn from Mark Twain's own autobiography.

    § Mr. Douglas

    Has the hon. Gentleman seen the script in this case?

    § Mr. Thurtle

    I have read the script, and I think there is no ground for the hon. Member's fear that this production may injure our relations with America.

    § Mr. Silverman

    Has not the hon. Gentleman got into enough trouble already by reading scripts and then interfering?

[mongers]

http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1936/jun/15/mobile-office

MOBILE OFFICE.
627
HC Deb 15 June 1936 vol 313 c627 627
§
27. Mr. DAY  asked the Postmaster-General whether he will give particulars of the mobile post office which his Department proposes to introduce in the near future; and whether full telephone and cable service will be available from these movable post offices?
§
Major TRYON  The mobile post office now under construction as an experiment will consist of a trailer caravan towed by a motor tractor and equipped to perform postal, telegraphic and telephone services. Its purpose is to afford the services of the Post Office in a convenient and accessible form at special events such as agricultural shows. I anticipate that normally it will be possible to provide full telephone and telegraph facilities at such post offices.
§
Mr. DAY  How many of these is it proposed to construct?
§
Major TRYON  Perhaps the hon. Member will put that question down.

[mongers]

Money will love this one:

http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1940/may/09/anti-semitism-and-pro-nazism

ANTI-SEMITISM AND PRO-NAZISM.
1379
HC Deb 09 May 1940 vol 360 cc1379-80 1379
§
18. Captain Ramsay  asked the Home Secretary whether he will give an assurance that care will be taken, both in the administration of the present regulations and in framing revised regulations, that a distinction is made between anti-Semitism and pro-Nazism?
§
Sir J. Anderson  I hope that any restrictive measures applied to organised propaganda may in practice be confined to such propaganda as is calculated to impede the national war effort; and from that point of view I cannot recognise as relevant the distinction which my hon. and gallant Friend seeks to draw.
§
1380
Captain Ramsay  While thanking my right hon. Friend for his reply, in view of the fact that  he seems to be somewhat confused on the point, will he assure the House that he refuses to be stampeded into identifying the two things by a ramp in our Jew-ridden Press?
§
Sir J. Anderson  There is no question of my being stampeded into anything.