asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the lowest price for full strength D.D.T. in 10-ton lots is 3s. 3d. per pound in this country as against 2s. 10d. per pound in the U.S.A., and what are the reasons for this large difference.

I am aware that the price of D.D.T. is higher in this country than in the U.S.A., but comparative information on raw material and other production costs and on royalty payments is not available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to alter the policy of his Department which has resulted in the formation of a cartel amongst the manufacturers of D.D.T.

I. am aware that the producers of D.D.T. in this country sell at a common price but not as the result of the policy of my Department. D.D.T. is in free supply and is not subject to statutory control.

Is it not a fact that the manufacturers have agreed among themselves not to supply full strength D.D.T. for export purposes, whereas the Americans are supplying it, and is the right hon. Gentleman quite sure that there is not some restrictive practice?

With regard to exports, the next Question the hon. Member has on the Order Paper deals with that matter.

Are not the Government intending to do anything at all about price-fixing arrangements, which hold the public up to ransom?

Where there is evidence of any such arrangements, we take action.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the export of full strength D.D.T. is prohibited from this country by a manufacturer's cartel, except to restricted markets in the Empire where it has to meet the lower-priced American competition; and if he will have an immediate inquiry made into the position with a view to assisting the British export market.

I am not aware of any prohibitions on exports of D.D.T. from this country, but I am advised that there are in the United Kingdom and other countries patent rights relating to the preparation and use of D.D.T. in certain forms as an insecticide. The conditions on which licences under patents are granted are a matter for negotiation between the patentees and the applicants for such licences.

Would the right hon. and learned Gentleman normally be aware of any particular price-fixing arrangement which might be in existence? Is it his practice to inquire from 'various cartels exactly what their arrangements are?

No, Sir, unless something is drawn to my attention it is not my practice to make general inquiries.

Is it not remarkable that Socialist Members should draw attention to the efficiency of America, which is a land of free enterprise?

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has now reconsidered the regulations governing the import and export of postage stamps; and whether he will now relax these to enable British amateur philatelists to make exchanges with those in other countries without using the restrictive procedure required by his Department.

Barter transactions of postage stamps are already permitted, on certain conditions, under an open general licence. For currency reasons, I am not prepared to relax present restrictions on the export of stamps without a corresponding importation.

Is the President of the Board of Trade aware that his Parliamentary Secretary on 23rd October advised me in writing that he recognised the restrictive nature of the present regulations in preventing very small transactions, and that urgent reconsideration was to be given to this matter?

The matter has been reconsidered, and in view of the dangers, it has been found impossible to relax the regulations.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what assistance he will give to the large-footed men of the country by encouraging manufacturers to make available socks of the size of 12 inches upwards.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the shortage of large-sized men's socks, particularly the 12-inch size; and if he will take steps to increase the production of the larger sizes to meet the demand and to prevent the discomfort and foot troubles which result from socks being too short.

Manufacturers are allowed increased prices for their utility socks in sizes 12-inch and above. I have no evidence of a particular scarcity of these goods, but, if my hon. Friends will send me further information, I will consider whether anything needs to be done.

Is the Minister aware that if he goes round the shops of London, or anywhere else, he just cannot find the full-length socks needed by men requiring not 12-inch shoes, but 10½-inch shoes?

I am not aware of that, but if the hon. Gentleman will draw my attention to a particular case, I will consider it.

In view of the large number of Questions addressed to the President of the Board of Trade on such matters as socks and other things, would he receive a deputation of such over-sized men to drive the point home?

I think the matter has been so thoroughly inquired into as a result of all the representations made, that it would do no good.

Might I ask the Minister whether, when he is considering socks for men with big feet, he will also consider special socks for Members on the other side suffering from cold feet?

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the continuing shortage of glass bottles; and what steps have been taken to improve the position during 1947.

I am aware that the output of glass bottles, although well above the prewar level, is still insufficient to meet the greatly increased demands. We are doing all we can to stimulate production and are licensing substantial imports.

Will the Minister say what he is doing to scale down the enormous priority demand by Government Departments and others for bottles which is really the cause of the shortage?

Most of the large demand is for milk bottles, of course, which are necessary for delivering milk to the public.

Will the President of the Board of Trade say whether he is doing anything about the salvage of bottles?

Nothing is done except what is done by individual firms for salvaging bottles of their own. Many individuals are unable to purchase goods in bottles unless they give a bottle in exchange. I believe this is so in the case of beer.

Would the President try to force the Minister of Food to implement the condition of issuing cod liver oil and orange juice only if a bottle is returned? At present 4,000 gross of bottles are wasted each week because of the refusal of the Minister of Food to implement this condition.

I will draw the attention of my right hon. Friend to that matter.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that during November, 1946, only 12 giant tyres were available for distribution for the whole of Lincolnshire; and if he is satisfied that this second largest county in the country is getting its fair share of the tyres available.

Well over 1,000 giant tyres were supplied to Lincolnshire depots in November last. Tyre manufacturers distribute according to demand and I have no reason to suppose that Lincolnshire is not getting its appropriate share.

If so many tyres were sent to Lincolnshire in November, why is it that so many of the farm vehicles are off the road and the stuff is not being sent to the factories for lack of these tyres?

I am afraid I cannot answer that question without full particulars.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why no consultation took place between his Department and the retail trade, prior to his announcement of 13th December, to the effect that a new order regarding retail prices had been signed; and if he will explain the full circumstances in which this change in procedure was brought about and what were the reasons for the reduction in the profit margin in view of rising costs to retailers.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the reduction in retail margins on cloth and clothing. Negotiations with the retailers' joint committee began last July and no fewer than nine retail associations took part in the discussions, which extended over a period of several months. I myself had a meeting with the joint committee on 17th December. The maximum retail percentage margins for cloth and clothing were fixed during the war, and revisions were necessary because both the prices on which the margins are calculated and the volume of goods had increased substantially. In making reductions, I took account of actual and potential increases in retailers' expenses, which they have to bear out of their margins.

Is the, right hon. and learned Gentleman aware that in the case of utility furniture no such consultations took place, and I am informed by the association concerned that the change was made without any reference to them whatever?

The lack of information is inaccurate if it applies to cloth and clothing. As regards utility furniture, perhaps the hon. Gentleman will put a Question down if he wants an answer.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the situation arising on account of the cut in supplies of soda ash and alkalis to the paper trade; that if these cuts are sustained large scale unemployment is likely to result; and what action he is taking in the matter.

There were temporary cuts in the production of soda ash and caustic soda owing to the fuel shortage, though it was possible to maintain deliveries of caustic soda from stocks in manufacturers' hands. The cuts have now been largely restored and industry generally, including paper mills, should be receiving sufficient supplies for their current production.

Can the right hon. and learned Gentleman say whether the paper mills can look forward with some assurance to fairly large supplies over the next few months?

There is no particular reason why the supplies at present being given should not continue.

Is the Minister aware that I took the matter up with the Minister responsible, and I have had letters from the firms saying that they are now satisfied with the supplies?

asked the President of the Board of Trade what increase in personnel and cost there has been in the Public Relations and Press Departments of his Department as compared with the position before the war.

A staff of 88 is engaged on information services for home and overseas in my Department; the cost during the quarter ended 31st December last was approximately £9,000. No special provision was made for this work in the Board of Trade before the war, when the work to be done differed widely from that at present undertaken.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the total amount by weight, of paper used by publications first published after 16th August 1940; and what percentage this represents of the total consumption of newsprint for the last four-monthly periods.

As no licence is now necessary to enable any new newspaper or periodical publication to be published provided that it does not use more than eight cwts. of paper in a four months period, I am unable to state the weight of paper used by publications first published after 16th August, 1940.

Is the right hon. and learned gentleman aware that the restrictions very seriously handicap journals dealing with new inventions, sucn as radar, plastics, and so on, and may have some detrimental effect on our export trade?

I am aware that many journals are, unfortunately, being hampered by shortage of paper.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he has taken to ensure that more adequate supplies of crockery and glassware will be made available to the public.

We have done, and are doing, our best to help manufacturers of crockery and glassware to increase their output by assisting them when we can over the supply of labour and machinery, and with building licences. Home production of both crockery and glassware is also' being supplemented by imports.

Is the right hon. and learned Gentleman aware that his right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when President of the Board of Trade, gave an assurance in 1942 that he would divert goods from the export trade to the people of this country?

No doubt he was not then aware of the present economic situation.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what price is being paid by his Department for Burma teak; and what is the price to the public.

The basic prices for the sale to the public of sawn teak from Burma are given in detail on pages 41–43 of the Control of Timber (No. 33) (Imported Timber Prices) Order (S.R. & O. 1944 No. 918). It has not recently been possible to purchase teak from Burma except at prices substantially above these levels.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in order to save fuel and coal for domestic grates and boilers, he will take steps to ensure an adequate supply of sieves for sifting cinders, since in many parts of the country there are at the present time none available.

So far as supplies of steel allow, I am doing all I can to maintain the output of these sieves.

May I ask the right hon. and learned Gentleman whether he is aware that there are large numbers of matters which want sifting and sorting at the Board of Trade, and would he be good enough to confer with the right hon. Gentleman the Minister of Fuel and Power, whose advice would be very profitable to him?

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the Guard Bridge Paper Company has had to close down on account of the unexpected cut in supplies of esparto grass, about which he has been informed; why no previous notice of the cut was sent to the company; when further supplies are to be expected; and what steps he is taking to prevent a recurrence of such unheralded curtailment of supplies.

Yes, Sir. The immediate shortage was due to a diversion at very short notice of certain ships for the purpose of carrying grain. No fresh supplies could therefore be allowed for the time being to the Guard Bridge Paper Company but further supplies have now been sent to them and I understand they re-opened on Tuesday last. All users of esparto have been warned of the supply position and efforts are being made in conjunction with the Ministry of Transport to improve shipments.

Is the right hon. and learned Gentleman aware that the company in question informed me today that quantities supplied to them will keep them going for only half a week, and that they have been discouraged from laying up stocks in the past on the direct instructions of the Department?

The shortage of shipping has had a serious effect upon the importation of esparto. We are doing our best now to try and get it improved.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the difficulties of artists and art schools caused by the shortage of essential working materials; and if he will give an estimate of the approximate loss in cash value if the export of these materials were discontinued until reasonable home needs were satisfied.

The answer to the first part of the Question is in the affirmative, and to the second part, that exports are now running at about £140,000 a quarter. I would, however, point out that supplies to the home market are already above the prewar level.

In view of the very small sum involved, and the very small loss to the export trade, will not my right hon. and learned Friend reconsider this matter in view of the shortages that exist?

Unfortunately the exports from this country are made up of a great number of small items, and if each one is attacked individually, there will be nothing left.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what allocation of imported poles suitable for the electricity supply industry has now been made; and to whom the allocation was made, and the numbers involved.

Allocations of telegraph and transmission poles have been made for the first quarter of' 1947 as follow:

How many were sent to the Post Office?

None.

Is the right hon. and learned Gentleman aware that the Postmaster-General always makes the excuse when we ask for telephones in rural areas that he cannot get poles?

Under the very stringent shortages at present existing, it is believed that the need for electricity is greater.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why he is asking timber merchants to pay more than the original cost price for crawler tractors which have been hired to them by his Department, and on which they may have paid hiring charges already totalling more than the cost price.

The prices charged are based on current sale values, after making due allowance for depreciation. I am advised that they compare favourably with those which are being realised for similar vehicles in the open market. The amounts paid for the hiring of the vehicles are not regarded as relevant to the disposal value.

Could not the right hon. and learned Gentleman offer some concession to merchants who give an undertaking not to resell their vehicles?

I do not see any reason why they should get them below market price, which is what substantially has happened.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, if he is aware of the shortage of fine knitting wool and baby wools in the Perth area; and what prospects there are of increasing the supply.

Hand-knitting wools are in short supply generally, but I have no information that the Perth area is less well supplied than other areas. Production, which is limited by the lack of skilled operatives, particularly in the worsted spinning section of the wool textile industry, is increasing, and was 18 per cent. higher last year than in 1945. The proportion of spinning capacity allocated to baby wools has recently been increased.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has had under review the serious situation created in the steel industry in Sheffield by the reduction to 75 per cent. of the November coal allocations; and, as this decision forces some firms engaged in steel production in Sheffield to be conducted on the basis of a four-day week, when he hopes to restore coal allocation at least to the November level.

I am aware of the effect on steel production generally of the recent cut in coal allocations, but, in the present coal shortage we must spread cut the loss of industrial output in order to preserve, as far as we can, the right balance in industry. I am in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Fuel and Power about availabilities of coal for the coming months, with a view to seeing what future arrangements can be made for supplies to industry, including steel.

Does not this reveal an extraordinary state of affairs in the coal and steel industry of this country? In view of this state of affairs, and the going back to a three-day week because of the absence of coal, how does the right hon. and learned Gentleman hope to maintain the policy of exports?

Unfortunately we cannot make provision, for using coal which is not there. What we have attempted to do is to spread the available coal in the best possible way over the greatest field of industry.

Is not the right hon. and learned Gentleman aware of the short sightedness of cutting down the steel programme at this stage, and could he not reconsider the question, which is such a tragic one for Sheffield?

It has been considered extremely carefully, but it is no use producing steel if the using industries are also falling off in the amount of steel they use. What is intended is to keep a balance between the making and using of steel.

Is the right hon. and learned Gentleman aware that it is the view of those who are best informed in Scotland on both sides of the industry that this cut is having a greater unfortunate effect in Scotland than in other parts of the country?

I understand that the position in Scotland is better than in other parts of the country.

It is worse.

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

asked the Prime Minister which Government Department, or other authority, is primarily responsible for the mistake as a result of which the construction of houses and roads in the Yiewsley and West Drayton Urban District area, adjacent to the Heathrow Airport, has had to be stopped and work demolished; and on which authority or Department will the expenditure so far involved fall.

The Government's decision to extend the London Airport was taken in January, 1946. After considering the effect of the revised layout of the airport upon surrounding development, the Ministry of Civil Aviation found in February that an alteration in the line hitherto accepted for the diversion of the Bath Road would be necessary and proceeded to discuss the new line with the Ministry of Transport. The final line was agreed on 4th October, 1946.

By a mistake, which I regret, the Ministry of Civil Aviation did not inform Departments concerned of the re-alignment until 22nd November; and the actual construction of houses had begun on 1st November. In consequence, a small amount of building work will have to be demolished. Any compensation to be paid will come from Government funds. Some abortive expenditure on this hous- ing scheme was inevitable since the scheme itself was approved in 1944 and site development began in December, 1945.

Would the Prime Minister say whether any action has been taken against the person in the Ministry who made this gross mistake?

No, Sir. It is not a matter for disciplinary action. Attention has been called to the matter.

Could the Prime Minister state what the total cost of the mistake amounted to, and how many houses had been started, upon which work had to cease?

Not without notice.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the outcome of his conversations with the President of the French Republic.

His Majesty's Government were very glad to welcome Monsieur Blum in London once again and his visit provided the opportunity of a most useful exchange of views. Hon. Members will have seen from the communique issued at the conclusion of the visit that our discussions covered a wide field, that agreement was reached on a number of important questions both political and economic, and that, in particular, it was agreed that

a Treaty of Alliance should be concluded between the two countries at the earliest possible moment within the framework of Article 52 of the Charter of the United Nations and with the object of preventing any further aggression by Germany and of preserving peace and security."

There is no need for me to enlarge on the communique, but I would like to make it clear that His Majesty's Government are anxious to enter into negotiations for such a Treaty of Alliance as soon as the new French Government is ready to do so.

Will my right hon. Friend make it clear that this proposed Anglo-French Treaty, which will be warmly welcomed in all quarters of the House, is not in any way a substitute for the Anglo-Soviet Treaty, but is intended as a supple- ment to a general system of European security, of which the Anglo-Soviet Treaty constitutes an essential part?

Obviously a treaty with one Power cannot be a substitute for a treaty with another. Our French friends and our Russian friends have a treaty and we have a treaty with our Russian friends. The more treaties and alliances we can get within the ambit of the United Nations the better.

Will the Anglo-French Treaty be followed up by economic conversations in order to make it additionally valuable?

They are already proceeding.

For the purpose of accuracy would the Prime Minister give us the dates when M. Blum was President of the French Republic, as mentioned in the Question?

It is not my mistake; it should have been "President of the Council of Ministers."

On a point of Order. The Question, as I drafted it, referred to the "President of the French Government," which, I believe, was the correct title at the time.

Will publicity be given to the fact that the visit of the Chief of the Imperial General Staff to Moscow was not aimed at the United States of America?

asked the Prime Minister whether the Dominions have been consulted in all the negotiations with Egypt and the Sudan; and, whether they have signified their full agreement with decisions so far taken and proposals put forward by His Majesty's Government.

The Dominion Governments have been kept fully informed, in accordance with the general practice of His Majesty's Government, as described in the statement winch I made here on 8th May last, and of which I am sending the hon. and gallant Member a copy.

While thanking the right hon. Gentleman for that answer, as far as it goes, may I ask him to answer the second part of the Question, about decisions and proposals?

It is not a matter of decisions but of information. We are always glad to receive any views from the Dominion Governments, but this is a matter with which His Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom have primarily to deal.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will consider accelerating the release from the Armed Forces of young men who, before their service, had started training for professional work as architects, surveyors, lawyers, accountants, etc.

In so far as the men referred to are students, they will be eligible for early release if they satisfy the conditions governing any arrangements for the release of students for the universities and similar institutions which may be made for the next academic year I could not go further than this.

Does the right horn Gentleman appreciate the extreme hardship to some of these people, who in some cases will not be able to earn a living until they are 28 or 30 or more years old? In particular, will he consider the loss to the nation if these skilled persons are not coming forward shortly?

Yes, Sir, and efforts are made to give men opportunities of taking advantage of the facilities that are open to them. The great trouble is that as soon as we begin to give special facilities for one class of people we have to hold back men in the Services to let those men come out.

While there are obviously great administrative difficulties in the right hon. Gentleman's Department in giving special consideration to these cases, does not the highest aspect of national interest indicate that they should be given preference?

I hope I did not give any indication that it was administrative difficulties which constitute our difficulty. It is a question of fair play between men who have been a long time in the Services and those who are coming out.

Would it be any serious loss to the nation if we had not any lawyers for the next 10 years?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the increase in the numbers of clerical civil servants now in Government employment as compared with official figures given in April, 1939, of 399,598; whether he will now make a statement regarding the numbers of part-time temporary civil servants employed, analysing them by grades; and the number of top-level civil servants of the administrative grade, giving the numbers now employed and the numbers employed prior to the outbreak of hostilities.

As the reply contains a number of figures, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that that is precisely the answer that I did not want him to give? [Interruption.] I cannot hear myself speak. I want him to give the answer in order that I may put forward a most valuable supplementary.

I am sure the hon. Member's valuable supplementary will be just as valuable next week when he has read the answer.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the numbers of civil servants employed for the year ended 31st December, 1946, as compared with the corresponding period in 1939, separating the various grades, the clerical and sub-clerical grade, the typing grade, the professional, technical and scientific grades, the messenger and porter grade.