asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the further cuts threatened in supplies of tinplate will oblige British canners to cut down production and close factories; and, in view of the urgent necessity of building up food stocks in this country, whether His Majesty's Government will now restrict exports of tinplate to soft currency countries until the requirements of the home canning industry have been met.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Tonbridge (Mr. G. Williams) on Monday, 29th January.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the increases in our exports of tinplate have been very great in the last 10 months, and that these have subsequently been used for canning goods which have been re-exported to this country? Is he further aware that quite a small percentage of this increase would satisfy the requirements of our own canners? Why does he not give it?

I am sure the hon. Gentleman will be glad to know that an appreciable proportion of the amount going to export has now been diverted to the home market.

Is the President aware that a canning factory in the City of Aberdeen, which was opened only six months ago, has now to close because it is receiving only one-sixth of their rightful allocation of tinplate?

I am well aware that there is a general shortage of tinplate at present, and this is likely to go on for another few months. While this is likely to continue, we have cut down exports quite sharply.

Is the Minister aware of the importance of tinplate to the pilchard manufacturies of Cornwall, and the high nutriment value of the pilchard?

Yes, Sir.

Will the right hon. Gentleman give this careful consideration, because in Aberdeen canning factories have actually closed and more propose to close? It is of vital importance that a newly-established industry should not be discouraged in this way.

As I have made clear, this has been carefully considered with my right hon. Friends the Ministers of Food and Agriculture. In consequence, we have made reductions in the export of tinplate.

In view of the altogether unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I beg to give notice that I will raise this matter on the Adjournment.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he proposes to make amendments to the advertisement prepared by the British Travel Centre in New York until the power cuts are no longer operative, and the meat ration has been increased.

No, Sir. I do not propose to interfere with the publicity in the United States of the British Travel and Holidays Association.

Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that the advertisement referred to in my Question says that this country is abounding in comfort and food, including famous British delicacies, and that if visitors come here they will find a gala spirit in the air? Further, will the right hon. Gentleman tell the House where we can find these famous delicacies, and whether the gala spirit in the air is on the other side of the House?

All the overseas visitors to this country whom I have met do not share the jaundiced views of the hon. Member.

Will the right hon. Gentleman tell us how American visitors will be able to get Colchester oysters during the close season?

asked the President of the Board of Trade what arrangements he is making to assure adequate supplies of hessian for manufacturers to package carpets and rugs for export from the United Kingdom.

Even though all possible purchases of hessian are being made, total supplies are inadequate to meet all requirements. It is, however, my aim to meet the requirements for export packing in full.

Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that the delivery of hessian is very protracted at the present time due to the jute shortage, whereas his Jute Department insists on a short-term licensing procedure which is causing grave embarrassment to carpet exporters? Would he put a stick of dynamite under his Jute Department?

If the hon. Gentleman will give me any specific case where jute licensing is not being met by deliveries, I shall be glad to look into it.

asked the President of the Board of Trade for what purpose he has convened an international conference on rubber.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the conference on rubber which is being held in London; what is the object of the conference; and what part is being played by representatives of British territories in South-East Asia.

The purpose of the Conference, as was stated in the communique issued after the opening session, is

"to review the present and prospective supply-demand position of natural and synthetic rubber and to consider, in the light of the conclusions reached, whether any agreed recommendations for international action should be submitted to Governments, due regard being had to the interests both of the producers and of the consumers."

The British Colonial and Dependent Territories, as important producers, are separately represented.

Will my right hon. Friend, in the meantime, co-ordinate his rubber policy with that of the United States, introducing controls to resist the rubber sellers who are taking advantage of the nation's difficulties?

Will the right hon. Gentleman make certain that the work of the study group on rubber, which is of such value to everybody concerned, is in no way harmed by this session of the Conference?

Yes, Sir. I am quite certain that this session will not so affect the work of the study group.

How long is the Conference likely to last? Will its findings be made known?

I have no idea how long it will last, nor can I have any views about what recommendations will be made to Governments. As soon as the Conference concludes I will see what can be said about it to the House.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how much rubber was exported to Communist China from Malaya in November last; how much in December and how much in January; and how much rubber has been shipped from the United Kingdom to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in British ships during the same periods.

Exports of rubber from Malaya to China were 9,302 tons in November last and 7,180 tons in December. There were no exports or transhipments of rubber in British ships from the United Kingdom to Russia in November and December. Figures for January are not yet available.

Is it not a fact that a ship with a cargo of 9,000 tons of rubber, worth £3 million, is now on its way to the Soviet Union?

I am not sure where the hon. Member suggests the ship has sailed from. If it is suggested that it is from this country, I should like particulars.

How much profit has been made out of these contracts by private traders?

Is it not about time that this matter was cleared up and that unfounded accusations should be cleared up in the House? Have the Government themselves now stopped shipping rubber to Russia and to China? Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the vast majority of rubber growers continue this trade solely to keep open the channels of trade and that most of them would welcome a Government ban on trade which they regard with the utmost disquiet?

It would not be possible in question and answer to reply to all the points which the hon. Member has raised, but certainly our policy regarding rubber shipments from this country is as stated, and as was agreed, I think, by the Opposition Front Bench, in September last. We are keeping watch on the situation, and if there were to be any undue and large movements of rubber we should naturally have to consider the position.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say when the shipment of the last tonnage of rubber sold by His Majesty's Government to China was made?

Not without notice.

What advantage is expected to be derived by this process of denying to a large part of the world's population access to raw materials which they cannot produce?

I should think that my hon. Friend would realise what is the policy of His Majesty's Government and other Governments in the matter of the control of shipments of goods of direct strategic value. As I have made clear in the House before, that control has not been extended to rubber.

Is the Conference on rubber, which is now sitting in London, considering the limitation, or even the prohibition, of the export to China of rubber which is being used for weapons of war against our troops in Korea?

I do not know what the Conference might consider before its deliberations are over, but it would not be appropriate for me to make a comment at this stage.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the continued scarcity of newsprint in this country, he will consider the possibility of including newsprint among the scarce raw materials, distribution of which is now the subject of discussion by the international commodity groups.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Sevenoaks (Mr. John Rodgers) on 8th February.

Can the right hon. Gentleman give an assurance that nothing which is done in this direction will diminish his own efforts to make long-term contracts on our own behalf, quite apart from what may be done in the international field?

I can certainly assure the hon. Member that in the last few days we have come to a decision to enable the Newsprint Supply Company to offer to Canada a larger contract than has yet been announced.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement about the present position of newsprint in this country.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he can now give an assurance that the future supply of newsprint will not bring about a further reduction in the size of newspapers or reduce circulation.

The Newsprint Supply Company's estimates of imports of newsprint during January were, unfortunately, not realised, and stocks fell during the month from 72,000 tons to just under 65,000 tons. I understand that the shortfall is due to delay in shipments to this country. The Newsprint Rationing Committee has, therefore, decided temporarily to reduce consumption by a further 5 per cent.

While we can estimate the production of home mills with fair accuracy, we must depend upon the Newsprint Supply Company for estimates of imports. In the light of both these estimates and the level of actual stock, the Newsprint Rationing Committee considers whether any cut in consumption by newspapers is necessary.

The Chairman of the Rationing Committee advises me that if all their expectations of future supply are realised, the present size and circulation of newspapers can be maintained. But as stocks are below the danger line, current consumption is now dependent upon current supply; and any further disappointments in current supply, even of a temporary kind, must mean a corresponding reduction in current consumption.

Can the right hon. Gentleman reconcile the acute position today with the statement made by the Parliamentary Secretary in answer to me on 23rd January when I asked:

"whether the position is any better than it was three months ago?"

The Parliamentary Secretary replied:

"Yes, the supply position for the country is more definite."—[OFFICIAL REPORT. 23rd January, 1951; Vol. 483, c. 37.]

It is very easy to reconcile those statements, because we always have to rely on the advice of the Newsprint Supply Company about supplies. They do the importing and say what they expect to come in. The statement of my hon. Friend was based on the latest statement of the Company. A few days later it did not look as if two or three ships would arrive and, therefore, they had to make that cut.

Why is the right hon. Gentleman trying to blame the Newsprint Supply Company, when the blame is entirely with his own Government? [HON. MEMBERS: "No."] They have messed up the whole thing—[HON. MEMBERS: "No."] It is perfectly true. Will the right hon. Gentleman say how much longer the British people will have to tolerate ridiculously small newspapers? Will he also give an undertaking that at the earliest possible date exports of newsprint from this country will be reduced?

I was not in any way trying to blame the Newsprint Supply Company.—[HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."] I was answering the plea of the hon. and gallant Member for a reconciliation of two statements. We have to rely on the Company for information, but if they change the basis of their information it is only right that I should tell the House As far as supply is concerned, we have now made dollars available for a contract up to the end of 1954 and the size of newspapers will depend on the progress made with that contract.

What meaning does the Minister's hon. Friend attach to the word, "definite," because the whole position is indefinite?

My hon. Friend's statement was obviously based on the assurance given from overseas about shipments. In one or two cases shipments have not come in.

Is newsprint something else we are to have more of, as well as armaments?

asked the President of the Board of Trade the cost of production by the Crown Film Unit of "Welcome to our Table"; and in what countries is this film being exhibited.

The cost of production was £3,259. The film has not yet gone into distribution, but the series of which it forms a part is normally shown in about 80 overseas territories.

Is it not the case that this film, which, presumably, seeks to attract foreign visitors to the Festival of Britain, depicts our table as groaning under outsize joints of lamb and barons of beef, and will there not be grievous disillusionment among visitors when they arrive to find ewe mutton and reindeer steak?

First, the hon. and gallant Member has the title of the film wrong. That title was suggested at one stage, but was rejected before the hon. and gallant Member put the Question down. Second, it does not deal either with the Festival of Britain or with groaning tables. It is designed to help in the export of certain speciality food stuffs which have earned this country a great number of dollars in the past year or so.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many persons were adjudicated bankrupt during the years 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949 and 1950, respectively.

Particulars of the numbers of persons adjudicated bankrupt during each of the years 1946 to 1949 were contained in the answer given to the hon. and gallant Member on 5th December, 1950. The figure for the year 1950 is 1,853, making a total of 5,425 in the five years in question.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the figure has shown a steady and startling increase over the whole of the last five years, and does he recall that in the early days of the last Parliament it was frequently claimed that Socialism would abolish bankruptcy? What has gone wrong?

We have never made that assertion. We do not seek to protect the more inefficient fringe of private enterprise from the consequences of their actions, but I can certainly reassure the hon. and gallant Member by telling him that, despite the steady increase, the figure for the last five years is still only one-third of the post-war figure, and that if deeds of arrangement are taken into account it is only a quarter of the pre-war figure.

How many of these people were farmers?

Very few.

Is the Overseas Food Corporation included?

How do these figures for the five post-war years compare with the corresponding five years after the end of the First World War?

Against 5,425 in the last five years, the number in the first five years after the First World War was 15,563.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if, in view of the increased ceiling prices for certain categories of utility wool cloth as from 1st February, 1951, it is the intention of the Government to introduce some mark of designation to denote quality for each category.

The increase in the maximum prices of utility wool cloths from the beginning of this month is necessary to allow for the higher cost of wool and does not indicate any change in the utility scheme. All utility wool cloth already bears a number in a place adjacent to the utility mark which indicates the statutory specification with which the cloth complies. The specification applicable to each number is described in Statutory Instrument, 1950, No. 2086.

Is it not a fact that the numbers given to utility wool cloths do not denote quality and that a particular category may contain more or less fibre? Is it not quite improper to describe as wool cloth categories of cloth containing as much as 85 per cent. fibre? Would it not be more proper and honest to describe them as woollen fibres?

That last point raises a separate issue. On the first point, I am sure that the hon. and gallant Member realises, as would anyone who knows the wool trade, that it is impossible to provide detailed specifications which give a guarantee of quality grade by grade. What the utility scheme does is to give some assurance of value for money.

Then why did the Minister not make that perfectly clear in his first answer, which contained the implication that the number of the cloth designates quality? It does not do that. It gives a price control and not a quality control.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that many seaside resorts are having difficulty in obtaining paper for the production of their annual holiday guides; and what steps he is taking to ensure sufficient supplies for this purpose.

I am aware of these difficulties, but there is a general shortage of paper and, in the case of certain varieties, it is acute. In order to ensure that the most essential uses are met, we have arranged, as I stated during the debate on paper and boards on 24th November last, for the paper trade to operate a system of voluntary priorities. I am unable, however, to give any assurances that supplies of paper, particularly of the better qualities, can at present be made available for the production of holiday guides for home circulation.

Is this not rather unfortunate during the Festival year? Can the right hon. Gentleman say how long gas and electricity undertakings are to be allowed paper for advertising services that they cannot fulfil?

It is unfortunate that there is not more paper, but, as the hon. Member is aware, the supply of paper in this country now is considerably greater than it was pre-war, but the need for it has increased.

Can the Minister supply enough paper to provide targets for the National Small Bore Rifle Association, as they have not any now?

This Question has to do with annual holiday guides.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the extent of the loss or delay in shipment of Pacific coast softwood bought by timber control through the diversion of shipping for the import of United States coal.

Recent demands for shipping have been abnormally heavy in all parts of the world, and it is not possible to estimate to what extent delays in loading Pacific coast timber have been directly attributable to the movement of United States coal.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the quantities bought for shipment in December and January were actually shipped in those months, and say whether he expects that the quantity bought for shipment in February will be shipped in February?

The quantities which we hoped would arrive in December and January were not shipped in those months, but I can assure the hon. Member that the shipping arrangements will catch up with that backlog.

Will not a great waste of shipping take place by having to transfer United States coal into small ships at Rotterdam, instead of bringing it here in large ships, which has never been done before?

That is a question for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport.

Is it not a fact that the lateness and suddenness of the Government's decision to import coal caused the maximum amount of disorganisation?

No, I think the right hon. Gentleman will agree that in addition to the import of coal there have been very heavy demands on shipping for military purposes and also for the movement of grain from the United States to India and Yugoslavia.

In view of these many factors was it not necessary that the Government should be careful not to disorganise shipping?

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that competing demands of various Government Departments, all of which are said to have first priority, have caused absolute chaos in the freight markets of the world?

asked the President of the Board of Trade what he estimates the increased cost of Pacific coast softwood will be through the recent rise in shipping freights.

The rise in freights has been a continuous process since last July and future trends may not be in the same direction. It is not possible to translate variations in freight rates into terms of increased cost per standard on shipment over a period. Freight rates for chartering for December-April loading on the Pacific coast average some £8 5s. a standard above those for November, 1950, loading, and some £15 above those for July, 1950, loading.

Is it not a fact that since the right hon. Gentleman's Department concluded their large-scale British Colombian and the American coast contracts all the Pacific freights have gone up, sometimes as much as 100 per cent. above the freights ruling at the time of the contracts?

They have gone up very considerably, but I hope the hon. Member is not suggesting that that it is because we have increased our purchases in Canada—

No, Sir.

I thought hon. Members wanted us to do that.

Is it not a fact that rising freights followed immediately on the disorganisation caused by the sudden decision of the Government to demand ships for the import of coal?

They were already rising before the decision was taken.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the reason for using 1930 as the basis for the wholesale price index numbers published in the Board of Trade Journal and the year 1948 for those published in the Statistical Digest.

The base of the index is the average of the prices in 1930 of the items included, weight being given to these according to their importance in imports and production in that year. The Board of Trade publishes each month index numbers on this base and, for convenience in making comparisons with other pre-war statistics, percentage changes in them since 1938. In the Statistical Digest, only the changes since 1938 (not 1948, as suggested by the hon. Member) expressed in index number form, are published.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the price per ream, at the latest available date, of Swedish grease-proof paper and of the English brands of such paper.

Both these papers are purchased by private trade and I have no precise information as to the prices charged to users.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the present high price and shortage of this type of paper handicaps shopkeepers in the wrapping of foodstuffs? Will he do his best to assist them to get more of this paper?

Yes, and this is one of the many cases where goods are short for world reasons and perhaps the hon. and gallant Member and his hon. Friends will cease blaming it on bulk purchasing methods.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if, in view of the continued advance in the price of raw materials and of increases already sanctioned by his Department for certain types of merchandise, he has any information as to the date when hosiery schedule L will be revised.

Discussions have recently taken place between my Department and representatives of the hosiery industry and a revised schedule of manufacturers' maximum prices for utility knitted goods will be published in about a month's time.

Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind, the necessity for flexibility in the schedules if the goods are to be kept in the shops?

I agree, and in most utility schemes we have been introducing the maximum flexibility during the past few weeks.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give particulars of the livestock exported to Europe during the current year.

I am sending the hon. Member a statement giving the information he requires.

Could the President give an assurance that the figures do not include any store cattle exported to Europe?

I would like to study in more detail the figures which I am sending to the hon. Gentleman. He will be able to adduce that answer for himself.

Will the right hon. Gentleman circulate this information in the OFFICIAL REPORT?

Will the right hon. Gentleman say definitely, in his statement, whether this includes 1,500 store cattle sent to Italy from Folkestone about four weeks ago?

I will go into the question as to whether it is possible to deduce that figure. If not, perhaps the hon. and gallant Member will put down a Question to get the answer.

Will the Minister circulate the information in the OFFICIAL REPORT?

It is a rather long and complicated table and will take up a lot of space in the OFFICIAL REPORT. I will consider whether that should be done or whether it would be more convenient for hon. Members if I placed it in the Library.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) why His Majesty's Government's representatives at the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade Conference at Torquay were instructed to support Article 29, sub-paragraph one, of the agreement which states that the contracting parties undertake to observe to the fullest extent of their executive authority certain provisions of the Havana Charter pending its acceptance, seeing that this course nullifies the pledge already given that Parliament will have a full opportunity of debating the Havana Charter before commitments are accepted by His Majesty's Government in relation thereto;

(2) whether he will arrange for the proposals contained in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, as set out in Command Paper No. 8048, to be debated by Parliament before being put into operation by His Majesty's Government;

(3) whether it is the intention of His Majesty's Government to ratify the Havana Charter.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) when the provisional consolidated text of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade will be submitted to Parliament for approval;

(2) if he will put forward a proposal that membership of the Executive Committee of the Interim Commission of the International Trade Organisation should be chosen from countries which are contracting parties to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.

I apologise for the length of the answer. As regards Question No. 21, there was no discussion of Article XXIX of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade at the recent session of the contracting parties to the Agreement at Torquay, and no instructions on this matter were, therefore, required by or given to the United Kingdom Delegation. But the fact that Article XXIX of the Agreement requires Governments' parties thereto to observe the general principles embodied in the I.T.O. Charter was clearly stated during the debate on the Geneva Tariff Agreement on 29th January, 1948, when approval was given to the provisional application of the Agreement by the United Kingdom. I cannot, therefore, accept the suggestion that His Majesty's Government have not kept their pledges to Parliament.

As regards Questions Nos. 22, 23 and 32, I would refer the hon. Members to the reply which I gave on 8th February to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing, North (Mr. J. Hudson).

As regards Question No. 33, since there is no prospect in view of the establishment of the proposed international trade organisation, it is unlikely that there will be any important tasks for the Interim Commission to perform, and I do not think that any useful purpose would be served by seeking to alter the membership of its Executive Committee. Fifteen of the 20 countries represented on this Committee are, in fact, parties to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.

While welcoming the assurance given by the President the other day that the House would be consulted before the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade was ratified by the Government, may I ask if he can also assure the House that, pending ratification, he will not commit this country to any long-term provisional arrangements, which might be of indefinite duration, without first consulting the House?

There will be no further commitment in this respect without further consultation with the House. As I think the hon. Gentleman knows, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade is at present subject to provisional application from which we could withdraw on giving 60 days' notice.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman two questions? First, in view of the fact that only one country has ratified the Havana Charter, why is it that an attempt is being made to bring in about two-thirds of the Havana Charter by the back door through the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade? Second, if the Interim Commission of the proposed international trade organisation is not needed, why is it in existence at all; why not abolish it?

With regard to the first question, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade was adopted as an instrument on its own merits by the House in January, 1948. If there were to be any question of ratifying it, or adhering to it on any other than a provisional basis, we should, of course, first debate it, and all the clauses that are in it, in the House. With regard to the second supplementary question, it was only a few days ago that I announced on behalf of His Majesty's Government that there would now be no question of our recommending the I.T.O. Charter to Parliament. It was only a few days before that that the United States Administration decided they were not pursuing it. Therefore, we have still to consider the position of the Interim Commission.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman think that the time has come to put a stop to all this nonsense? It costs a lot of money and has done no good to anybody.

I do not think I can accept what the hon. Gentleman has said.

From what the right hon. Gentleman has said, is the House entitled to draw the conclusion that, without further reference to Parliament, nothing will be done at Torquay which could not be repudiated in 60 days' time.

So far as the application of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade is concerned, that is the position. Indeed, there is now nothing left to be done at Torquay on the General Agreement because those discussions concluded before Christmas. Tariff negotiations are a separate matter. Anything affecting the United Kingdom tariff would obviously require the assent of the House.

Under what procedure of Parliament will these tariff arrange- ments be put before the House? Will the right hon. Gentleman recommend to the Lord President of the Council that we must have a full debate on these matters, which have a grave effect on the horticultural industry in particular?

I am sure that my right hon. Friend will bear in mind the suggestion made by the noble Lord.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what concessions in respect of existing preferences have been made by representatives of the United Kingdom at the Torquay Conference on the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Langstone (Mr. Stevens) on 30th January.

That is not good enough. Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that fears were expressed in the Colonies, notably by the federation of primary producers of British Gambia and British Guiana as long ago as October of last year, that concessions would be made at Torquay, and does he not consider that the Government have an obligation to the Colonies to make their position quite clear in the matter?

It is an established practice in foreign negotiations that while negotiations are taking place there should be no disclosure of what offers are being made. That procedure was followed faithfully in the Anglo-American tariff negotiations before the war, and I see no reason to change it now.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why timber grown in Malaya is taken to Singapore to be cut up in Chinese sawmills, and then exported to London via Rotterdam, c/o the Rotterdam Trading Company; and if he will take steps to enable this country to obtain timber from the Chinese sawmills and export direct to London through the normal channels.

Timber grown in Malaya is imported into this country by private traders, who are free to arrange the methods and channels of import. We do not propose at present to interfere with these operations.

Does my right hon. Friend not think that this country would be advantaged financially by being able to import direct from Malaya to the British Isles?

I have no doubt that quite a lot is imported direct from Malaya in any event.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will take urgent steps to co-ordinate the policy of the Ministers of Agriculture and Food and the President of the Board of Trade in regard to resources of tinplate for canning of fruit and horticultural products, with a view to preventing wastage of any part of the United Kingdom crops during the coming season.

Full co-ordination is already maintained.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that, in spite of the recent increases in the allocation of tinplate to canneries, there is still grave apprehension that if we have good crops in the coming season a large part of those crops will be wasted? Will he please make it clear that it is the policy of the Government to put the home producer first and the foreigner last?

is the right hon. Gentleman aware of the vital need for tinplate in piling up food supplies for an emergency, and will he give an assurance that tinplate will not in future be used to enclose the meat pies and other delicacies which are sent to the Argentine?

That is not a question for me.

What is the point of sabotaging the British canning industry at a time when it was never more necessary to have a supply of food stocks; and when there are unlimited supplies of the best food in the world for canning—herrings?

asked the Prime Minister whether the statement made by the Minister of Works at Manchester on 11th February, that he was opposed to the partition of Ireland, which was an artificial division which would have to be ended, represents the policy of His Majesty's Government.

asked the Prime Minister if his attention has been drawn to the public statement made by the Minister of Works at Manchester on 11th February that he was opposed to the partition of Ireland, which would have to be ended; and whether this represents the policy of His Majesty's Government.

The Government's policy on the partition of Ireland was fully explained in the debates on the Ireland Bill in 1949, and in particular by my right hon. Friend the Lord President of the Council in the debates on the Second Reading and in Committee. There has been no change in policy since that date and none is contemplated.

Is the Prime Minister aware that this statement, made, presumably, by a responsible Member of the Government, has created a most unfortunate impression in Northern Ireland? Can he give the House an assurance that the Government does not intend to put Northern Ireland out of the United Kingdom?

I have already replied to that. The statement which my right hon. Friend made, was made, I gather, at a charitable affair, where there was a symposium at which various Members of Parliament, including hon. Members opposite, were present. The speculations indulged in with regard to the partition of Ireland have no reference to the present policy, but to some possibly desirable situation some time ahead.

Oh!

As one of the two Members of Parliament present at this charitable affair, which was a brains trust, may I ask if the Prime Minister is aware that no commitment of any kind was made by the Minister of Works? Is he also aware that considerable feeling was expressed at that brains trust that the time had arrived when a solution of the problem of the relations between Northern and Southern Ireland should he arrived at?

Does not the Prime Minister agree that the purpose of such statements made by a few hon. Members is to get anti-partition votes in their constituencies; but that this counts for nothing against the determination of Ulster that there shall be no surrender?

Would the Prime Minister agree that it is desirable that at any rate the Government Front Bench should give the impression of unity at the present time?

Is my right hon. Friend aware that if he looked up the history in regard to the relationship of Ireland, he would find that Sir Edward Carson backed the statement that they were only being fooled by the Tory Party over partition?

Will the right hon. Gentleman, as a matter of courtesy, convey to the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland his regret for an utterly irresponsible statement by an utterly irresponsible Minister who, obviously, does not know his duty?

rose—

The matter is too explosive now.

asked the Prime Minister whether, before reimposing any controls used during the war, he will respond to the appeal of the President and Director of the National Union of Manufacturers by announcing that organised industry will be consulted as to the form and implementation of any particular control before it is imposed.

It will be the general aim of His Majesty's Government to consult organised industry on the form and implementation of individual controls before they are imposed wherever it is deemed practicable to do so. It will fall to the responsible Minister to decide the time, manner and extent of the consultation.

asked the Lord President of the Council if there was any time clause in the cost plus contracts made for the South Bank Festival of Britain Exhibition; and were any penalties to be imposed if the time schedules were not kept.

Only a very small part of the work on the South Bank Exhibition has a cost plus character. These cost plus contracts comprise about 1 per cent. or 2 per cent. of the building work together with less than half a dozen small contracts not connected with the buildings. In general, there is no penalty clause in such contracts which are not large enough to have any significant effect on the progress of the whole job. The main building contracts, however, which are on a basis of a schedule of prices, contain a time clause, but a penalty clause was not acceptable to the general contractors.

If there is no penalty clause will the work be finished in time? The contractors do not like it. Is the work up to schedule at present?

Progress is generally satisfactory, subject to one or two interruptions, for which I am very sorry. I am still feeling reasonably optimistic about it, but we cannot be quite certain. We are doing all we can to see that it will be all right.

Can my right hon. Friend say whether these contracts subject to cost plus conditions were contracts for which the Association of Master Builders had refused to estimate?

No, Sir, I would not quite say that. It is not a thing upon which one can proceed on the rails. One must deviate a little bit this way and the other in order to get the thing done; but I do not think that was the case.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware of the disturbing effect on production arising from the halving of the bonus ration of feeding-stuffs for pigmeat and egg deliveries; and if he will now announce a restoration of the ration scale on which producers were relying.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will make a statement as to the levels at which rations of poultry feeding stuffs are to be fixed.

Yes, Sir. I am glad to be able to say that supplies are now sufficient to enable me to authorise the issue of the second half of the pig and poultry bonus rations for the current four-month period January to April. I have also authorised the issue of rations for calves of from six to 12 months old for the month of March.

At the same time, I would strongly urge all livestock producers to aim at the highest practicable standard of self-sufficiency in feedingstuffs. As a result of higher world prices increases in feeding-stuffs prices are inevitable within the next few months, although the total amount of the increase will be less than those which took place last spring with the withdrawal of the subsidy. This prospective increase in farmers' costs will, of course, be one of the items to be taken into account at the forthcoming Farm Price Review, but I would draw the attention of farmers to this additional reason for sowing the maximum practicable area of spring corn and other fodder crops.

While I am sure that we should all agree with the Minister, if we could have followed what he was saying, might I ask him whether he will do his utmost, as a Member of the Cabinet, to ensure that sufficient coarse grains are imported to enable him to honour these undertakings?

As the hon. Member is aware, we have always done our best to get as much coarse grains as we possibly can.

As it was difficult to hear the right hon. Gentleman's answer in this part of the House, will he make it absolutely clear that the potential increase in costs of feedingstuffs will be taken into account in the February Price Review?

While welcoming the Minister's statement, may I ask whether he can state that we are purchasing all the coarse grains that we can get from soft currency countries?

I have informed the House on several occasions that we have purchased all available supplies of coarse grain from soft currency countries and that we have purchased some from hard currency countries too.

Can the right hon. Gentleman assure the House that supplies are sufficient to enable him to honour this ration for the whole of the period involved?

That is quite another question.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the uncertainty as to whether the ration will or will not be met has the worst possible effect on efforts to increase production from home sources?

That is exactly why we always give the farming community the maximum advance notice of the ration position.

While I appreciate that it is hard to make a forecast of this sort for a long period, can the right hon. Gentleman give any indication of the level at which the ration will be maintained after the date he has mentioned?

It is impossible to decide what the position will be throughout this year; but hon. Members will recall the number of occasions when they have condemned the Government for having large stores of coarse grain which, they said, were being eaten by rats.