asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the value of orders placed for the installation of textile machinery qualifying for subsidy up to the most recent available date.

I regret that the information is not available since firms are not required, under the Cotton Spinning (Re-equipment Subsidy) Scheme, to submit details of orders as they are placed but only when payment of subsidy is claimed.

Surely, my right hon. Friend must have an idea of the extent to which this scheme has been utilised in the industry. Would he say whether he regards the utilisation as satisfactory or unsatisfactory?

I am certainly not satisfied. Up to 12th April this year, modernisation plans submitted by registered groups, involving a total expenditure of about £11 million had been approved. This, of course, includes new machinery

Can my right hon. Friend say when textile machinery supplied to the home market ceases to be a matter of trade and becomes a matter of supply, because I observe that another of my Questions on this subject has become Question 146 and, knowing the Question as I do, it rather resents its inauspicious position on the Order Paper?

Anything to do with the operation of this scheme is a matter for the Board of Trade. The Ministry of Supply is the authority for the production of the equipment in question.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is now in a position to give details of the additional industries in respect of which it is proposed to appoint a development council; and to indicate the dates when such appointment will be made.

Proposals for development councils for the wool, pottery, hosiery and cutlery industries are under consideration, but I cannot say anything further.

While appreciating my right hon. Friend's special difficulties at the moment, would he observe—I hope, not without emotion—the air of patient resignation, mixed with tolerance, with which I listened to that answer?

I said something about the attitude of the Government to development councils a week ago, when I spoke at some length. My hon. Friend will realise that there is some legal doubt at the moment about the position of development councils. Therefore, it would be difficult for me to say more now.

Will the right hon. Gentleman make certain, when setting up development councils, that the majority of those in the industry concerned are in favour of such a step?

I think the hon. Gentleman can do more than I can to help bring the majority of the industry into that frame of mind.

If such a council was set up for the woollen industry, would there be a separate council for Scotland?

I do not think that there is any question of a separate development council in Scotland for the woollen industry, but the representation of Scotland might be a subject for Debate when the matter comes before this House.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if, in view of the high price now charged by British nylon spinners, he will fix maximum prices for nylon yarn.

No, Sir. The Central Price Regulation Committee are satisfied that the present prices yield only a modest profit for the spinners.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that this monopoly charges 8s. a pound more for nylon yarn than does its counterpart in America and that this makes it increasingly difficult for nylon users in this country to compete in the American market? Further, is he aware that they could reduce the price by 4s. a pound and still leave themselves a handsome margin of profit?

No, Sir. I am not so aware. The Central Price Regulation Committee have been into the question of costs very carefully indeed. As production increases it should be possible to have some further reduction in price.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the present low stocks of newsprint, he is satisfied that supplies will be maintained; and if he will make a statement.

Stocks of newsprint for the newspapers are at present above the level which they consider it reasonable to carry, and I have no reason to anticipate that stocks will fall below the necessary working level.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is his reason for refusing to grant import licences to American nationals who wish to buy American cars in America and bring them, or have them sent, to this country; and whether he is prepared to change his attitude to this problem and grant such licences.

While British car manufacturers are devoting such a high proportion of their production to the export drive, it would, in general, be unfair to allow imports of cars from abroad. Facilities are, however, available for American visitors to this country who wish to bring their cars with them. American nationals who change their domicile to this country are also, in certain circumstances, permitted to import their cars.

If the hon. Member has any particular case in mind and will let me have details. I will look into it.

Is the President aware that if an American national was allowed to buy a car in America and import it into this country, the profit on the deal, in the case, say, of a Packard car goes to the English Packard company in dollars? Therefore, this country is losing dollars, in addition to the loss of Purchase Tax and Import Duty.

I am quite prepared to look at individual cases, but I do not think it would be possible to lay down a general rule.

Are we to understand that an American visitor can bring his car into this country and dispose of it under the arrangement which has been referred to?

No, Sir. I referred to American visitors bringing their cars here for tourist purposes.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what progress has been made in the last year towards the winning of potash by mining or brine-pumping from strata near Whitby.

I understand that deep boring to prove and determine the extent of those potash deposits has been going ahead in the last 12 months at a rate which is considered satisfactory.

Can the right hon. Gentleman tell us whether there is any possibility of this very valuable mineral for agriculture being obtained in workable quantities?

I agree with the hon. and gallant Gentleman about the value of this discovery, but the firms concerned naturally want to do very much more to find out how extensive is the deposit before they can begin to make plans for working it.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the area of land now being used in development areas and other parts of Great Britain for factory estates which have been developed during the war, and are now being developed, respectively; and what is the estimated area of proposed factory estates not yet commenced.

Approximately 5,000 acres of land in the development areas have been, or are being, developed with Government finance, as industrial estates (as distinct from individual sites and small group sites). Of this area, about 2,000 acres,were developed during the war as Royal Ordnance Factories and subsequently taken over by the Board of Trade for development as industrial estates, and another 1,600 acres have been developed wholly since the war. Further land will be acquired as needs arise, there being at present about 500 acres either acquired or under consideration for development. The further information requested by my hon. Friend is not readily available, but I will write to him as soon as it has been collected.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what plans he now has for the future development of the industrial estate at Kilwinning.

As I told my hon. Friend in reply to his Question on 16th March, the available land on the Kilwinning Estate is being held in reserve for possible future development.

Is my right hon. Friend aware of the past history of Kilwinning as a depressed area, and of the keen concern of the local authority there that. despite the great amount of money being spent in clearing the area as an industrial site, only one small factory has so far been placed there? Is he also aware that the local authority is most anxious that more labour should be employed through the whole estate being developed?

Yes, Sir. I have been made well aware of the past history of this area, though I think my hon. Friend will agree that the employment position there at present is much more satisfactory. We are watching the situation, particularly to see how far private development looks like succeeding in solving the problem.

Thank you very much.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what are the plans of the Government to take up the unemployment lag in Scotland caused by the falling-off in orders for shipbuilding.

I understand that the majority of the yards in Scotland have sufficient orders to keep the labour force at present employed on shipbuilding going for the next two years. But, as I explained to the House on 4th April, during the Second Reading Debate on the Distribution of Industry Bill, we are seeking to strengthen our powers for assisting industrial development in the shipyard towns and elsewhere in those parts of the development areas which may be threatened with falling off in employment, particularly on the ship repairing side, in the future.

Must we not look ahead? Would not an obvious solution be to use the industrial facilities at Prestwick Airport to create a permanent aircraft industry in Scotland, where the lag may be taken up, should it occur?

If the hon. and gallant Gentleman will study what I said on the Second Reading of the Distribution of Industry Bill I think he will be satisfied that we are looking ahead in this matter.

Is the President aware that there is considerable concern on this subject in Aberdeen, and could he say what plans he has in mind for helping to develop other industries in that city?

I do not know whether the noble Lady is referring to ship repairing or to other industries, but I would be glad if she would put a Question down.

Does the President appreciate the very serious problems confronting the North-East Coast ship repairing industry?

I did not know that the North-East Coast was in Scotland.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) how much hand-made pottery, and its value in dollars, has been exported to the United States of America since the New York office of British Export Handicraft was opened;

(2) whether his Department have, through British Export Handicraft, advised British craftsmen in pottery as to the types of hand-made wares which will sell best in United States of America.

British Handcrafts Export are an independent company for which the Board of Trade have no special responsibility. I am, however, informed by them that they are in continuous touch with a number of hand-potters in this country to whom they supply information, received from their agent in New York, as to types of ware likely to sell best in the United States. Since the opening of their office in New York in January of this year, British Handcrafts Export have sent to the United States a test consignment of about 2,000 pieces of hand-thrown pottery, valued at approximately 6,000 dollars at retail prices in the United States.

Will my right hon. Friend do his utmost to encourage this particular export of British handcrafts?

Yes, Sir; I think we should all desire to encourage the linking of the British handcraft industries of all kinds with the dollar exports drive.

Will the right hon. Gentleman retain a small quantity of it for the benefit of the Festival of Britain?

As the hon. Gentleman will be aware, there are many plans already in hand for examples of pottery and other commodities, showing what this country can do in design and craftsmanship, to be shown at the Festival of Britain.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) what percentage of United Kingdom Class II imports, namely, raw materials and articles mainly unmanufactured, came from Empire countries in 1931, 1938. 1945 and 1949;

(2) what percentage of United Kingdom. Class I imports, namely, food, drink and tobacco, came from Empire countries in 1931, 1938, 1945 and 1949.

The percentages of the value of total Class 1 imports into the United Kingdom from the Commonwealth as defined for statistical purpose in the years in question were as follow:' 38 per cent., 49 per cent., 58 per cent., 50 per cent., respectively. Corresponding percentages for Class II imports were: 34, 42, 54, 51.

The figures for 1931, 1938 and 1945 include the Irish Republic, Burma and Palestine, which are excluded in 1949.

Do not these figures show that the percentage improved steadily from 1931 to 1945, after which it has decreased? How does the right hon. Gentleman reconcile his answer with the statement he made in the House last week, when he said that the Conservative Party had talked about developing Imperial trade, whereas this Government had developed it? Does he not consider that the figures show that the reverse is the case?

If the hon. Gentleman will study the statement I made last week, he will see the justification for that remark. The statement which he made just now represents one of the worst misuses of statistics that I have ever known, because he must surely be well aware of the fact that in 1945 we were cut off from practically all our traditional sources of supply of food and raw materials in Europe, and also in South-East Asia. It was, therefore, perfectly natural that Commonwealth supplies should show an abnormally larger proportion in 1945.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what official representations have been made to the Argentine Government about its discriminating against this country in granting exchange for imports of English produced specialised industrial fabrics.

I have not received reports from traders about specialised industrial fabrics on which representations could be based, but I will look into the matter if the hon. Member will let me have detailed information. His Majesty's Government have been exerting constant pressure on the Argentine authorities to secure the issue of import licences for United Kingdom products on a satisfactory and equitable basis. This will continue to be one of our main objectives in the current trade negotiations.

Is not the President aware that the Argentine Government have granted exchange for French, German and even Austrian paper felt makers, and can he assure the House that the granting of exchange for specialised British industrial cloths will not be prejudiced by any negotiations going on now regarding exchange for meat?

I am well aware of the unsatisfactory position in granting licences for many of our exports to the Argentine, but, as I have said, the purpose of these negotiations is to improve facilities for licences for our manufacturers.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what special efforts are being made to get all the softwood essential to prevent any hold-up to this year's housing programme.

In planning the housing programme, account is taken of the softwood which will be required for this and other essential uses. In addition to our imports from Scandinavia and other normal suppliers, we are attempting to increase the rate of supplies from Russia, while imports are, of course, being made also from North America.

Could the Minister say whether we are getting as much from Sweden as we did last year?

Perhaps the hon. Gentleman will put down a Question on that, but I can assure him that we are doing everything possible to maintain and improve supplies, and he may care to know that the Timber Controller is next week going to Moscow to negotiate for supplies from Russia.

The right hon. Gentleman does not seem to have heard what I said. I was not talking about Moscow, but Sweden. Have we not actually cut down the amount of softwood which we are getting from Sweden this year?

There has been no question of cutting down the amount this year, but the negotiations for buying there are not yet completed.

Can the President say whether any progress has been made in the negotiations between his Department and the merchanting firms who, in prewar days, were responsible for softwood imports, in regard to the decontrol of softwood on lines similar to the decontrol of hardwood?

Yes, Sir. I made a statement last week about the particular conditions, which I am quite sure this House would wish to insist upon before there were such reversion, and I commented that the private traders considered that my suggestions for the removal of these controls were impracticable.

The right hon. Gentleman said that a high official was going to Moscow, but could he assure the House that everything possible has been done to increase the import of softwoods from Canada rather than going to Moscow?

Yes, Sir, within the limit of the dollars available.

What about exchanging steel?

The hon. and gallant Gentleman should be aware by this time—because we have dealt with it many times in the past—that a simple barter of steel against timber in Canada would make very little difference indeed to the amount of timber we should get, as the hon. and gallant Gentleman can work out for himself if he looks at the price.

Rubbish

asked the President of the Board of Trade what will be the effect on hosiery utility prices of the increase of nearly 50 per cent. in the price of wool since devaluation.

The effect will vary according to the amount and type of wool in each garment. Increases already made in manufacturers' maximum prices for hosiery since devaluation amount on an average to about 12 per cent.

Would not the Minister agree that this is yet another addition to the cost of living, and disproves the Chancellor's statement that bread would be the only food to rise in price as a result of devaluation?

If the hon. Gentleman would once again study what my right hon. and learned Friend said, he would see that there was no disparity between what he said and what has happened.

Will the right hon. Gentleman do something to speed up the revision of prices in this rapidly rising market? Is he aware that the prices given by his Department today are based on the raw material prices obtaining last September?

As far as hosiery is concerned, I think we are fairly speedy. I am not prepared to agree to increases in prices at too early a stage before the goods arrive in the shops, and I would count on the support of the hon. Gentleman and other hon. Members opposite to help to fight the rising cost of living.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will give an assurance that we have now stopped all exports of steel, tinplate and engineering equipment to the Soviet Union and her satellites.

No, Sir. If the hon. and gallant Member is thinking of security considerations, I can assure him that there is already control over exports which we feel should be stopped on security grounds.

Is it not a fact that we badly need more steel for export to Canada, and that instead of the right hon. Gentleman blaming the steel industry for not doing enough to meet our requirements we would be better off if we stopped supplies to Russia and sent them to Canada?

As far as I know, very little steel will be going to Russia this year. We hope to be able to supply all the needs of the Canadian market for steel this year, apart from one or two specialities. Any diversion of steel to Canada from other markets would make very little difference.

Would not my right hon. Friend agree that engineering exports to Russia are concerned with the exploitation of Russia's forests, and therefore assist us in the import of timber to this country?

Yes, Sir, it is certainly timber-getting equipment.

Can the right hon. Gentleman assure the House that next year this country will supply Canada with all the steel she requires and asks for?

I am very hopeful of doing that, but it is very difficult to say how much steel Canada will want to take until there is agreement between the trade and Canadian importers on the question of price. We are certainly looking forward to a big increase in our exports to Canada this year if Canada wants to have it.