Dr Mont Follick: Are the vaccines which are being made by the Glaxo Laboratories of their own special prescription, or according to a prescription imported from America?
Dr Mont Follick: I know, Mr. Deputy-Speaker, that it is not entirely your wish that I should exercise my prerogative this afternoon, but it may be the last time that I shall have the opportunity of doing so. I have sat here afternoon after afternoon trying to intervene in debates without success. Now, under the rules of the House, I am allowed to exercise my prerogative. It is the more timely because of...
Dr Mont Follick: I was talking to the Treasury this morning, but I cannot say that there was any promise to be represented here. However, I understand that I have this right, it is the last time I shall have it, and it would be unkind of you, Mr. Deputy-Speaker, to debar me from speaking.
Dr Mont Follick: I should imagine that the person responsible would be the Chancellor of the Exchequer, but as the right hon. Gentleman must be extremely busy at present, I could not call him here for a debate of this description. In any case, I shall not be delaying the House for long and it may be the last time that I shall have an opportunity to do so.
Dr Mont Follick: When I brought in my Bill the Chancellor of the Exchequer dealt with it.
Dr Mont Follick: I shall not discuss legislation, Mr. Deputy-Speaker; I shall discuss the advantages of the introduction of such a currency.
Dr Mont Follick: In this case it is not a matter of legislation but of appointing a Royal Commission to study the question, which was the basis of my Bill.
Dr Mont Follick: I am not discussing a Bill now, I am only discussing the fact that my Bill did not have a chance of appearing before the House because it was blocked by artificial methods—
Dr Mont Follick: That is erroneous, Mr. Deputy-Speaker, because I had not mentioned a Bill except to say that I had introduced a Bill earlier. I was not raising this matter on the question of a Bill; I was raising this matter on account of certain important happenings in this country recently. The day before yesterday there was a conference in Scarborough of the National Federation of Traders which passed a...
Dr Mont Follick: What I would like to see is not a Bill brought in to carry out this proposal but the fullest discussion of this matter by a Royal Commission.
Dr Mont Follick: Surely such a commission could take every point of view in the country, and if it decided that a decimal system of currency would be a good thing for the country—
Dr Mont Follick: With your permission, Mr. Deputy-Speaker, I will ask for a Royal Commission to be set up to study the introduction into this country of a system of decimal currency. There are parts of East Africa where we use our own coins, and it might be on that basis, or it could be a system like the one in South Africa—
Dr Mont Follick: I thank you, Mr. Deputy-Speaker, for having been so tolerant in allowing me to express my views and giving voice to my opinions and the opinion of 90 per cent. of the House that a decimal currency would be very desirable for the whole country, for industry—
Dr Mont Follick: I will not pursue the matter any further, but will only thank you for having been so tolerant in allowing me to speak.
Dr Mont Follick: In view of the fact that yesterday the National Chamber of Trade carried a resolution urging the Government to adopt a decimal currency, can the right hon. Gentleman say whether time can be provided to discuss my Bill which deals with this subject?
Dr Mont Follick: That is about the ratio of populations.
Dr Mont Follick: The hon. Member refers to technology as a whole. Does he not sub-divide technology into scientific technology and industrial technology?
Dr Mont Follick: He said a few pounds.
Dr Mont Follick: Perhaps the shareholders could not read them.
Dr Mont Follick: The hon. Gentleman must not blame me; he must blame the Leader of the House for chucking out my Decimal Currency Bill.
