asked the President of the Board of Trade what are the stocks of linen, cotton and silk handkerchiefs at the latest possible date, compared with 12 months ago.

I have no information of the stocks of handkerchiefs held by retailers or wholesalers, but the stocks held by manufacturers on the 30th April, 1947, were 15,304,000, and on 30th April, 1948, 18,085,000. Separate figures for linen, cotton and silk handkerchiefs are not recorded.

Is the President of the Board of Trade aware that the shops are becoming cluttered up with these articles, and will he take them off the ration?

No, Sir. This is one of those items of which there is a falling production in the home market.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that British manufacturers of utility furniture are still tied down to designs fixed by his Department, with the result that foreign utility furniture, which is all of varied design though often of inferior quality, is preferred by purchasers; and whether he will, in the interests of the British trade, allow our manufacturers greater originality of design, together with an approved standard of production.

I cannot accept the assertions and implications in the hon. and gallant Member's Question. As regards its last part, however, my Department have been discussing with representatives of the furniture industry a number of questions affecting production of utility furniture including design and standards of production; an announcement will be made as soon as these discussions are completed.

If there is anything incorrect in the first part of the Question, is it not a fact that any latitude which may have been given has only been very recently given—within the last week or so, in fact? Is there any reason why in future there should be any restraint as regards manufacturers' designs?

We must have some minimum standards of quality, and we must also avoid waste in this material which is in very short supply. Subject to that, we are hoping to loosen up very considerably in the matter of individual design.

Who is the authority which says whether a design is good or bad?

Is the right hon. Gentleman thinking of introducing period furniture at this time?

In reply to the hon. Member for Maidstone (Mr. Bossom), we have the advice of the best people in the trade on this matter. In addition, we have in the Board of Trade a department of furniture design which has the full confidence of the people in the trade.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the case of the Gosford Furnishing Company versus Mrs. Marie Bennet; whether the fixing of the price of bedroom suites manufactured mainly from sugar boxes at £118 8s. is due to the regulations of his Department; what is the cost of producing this article; what is the margin of profit allowed; and whether he will take action to fix a lower price forthwith.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he proposes to inquire into the case of Messrs. Gosford Furnishing Company, trading as Jays, in which furniture constructed from sugar boxes have been sold at exorbitant prices under hire-purchase system.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that shoddy furniture made from disused orange and sugar box wood is being sold at exorbitant prices by hire purchase firms; and what steps he proposes to take to stop this exploitation of the public.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he proposes to take any action concerning the prices charged for furniture by a firm at Eastbourne whose use of Tate and Lyle sugar boxes in the making of a bedroom suite priced at £118 was censured by the judge.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if his attention has been called to the case in which the Gosford Furnishing Company, trading as Jay's obtained the return of a bedroom suite, priced at £118 8s. made largely of old sugar boxes, and to the Judge's comments in that case; to what extent this charge was in accordance with the regulations issued by his Department; and what steps he is taking to prevent such exploitation of the public.

I am having inquiries made into the whole case, including the legality of the charges, but the furniture was purchased some five years ago, and it may now be difficult to establish the facts. This suite was manufactured before the introduction of the utility scheme, which has done much to raise the-standard of furniture in this country. Moreover, it was bought at a time when prices of furniture apart from the new utility supplies then coming into production, were controlled under the Prices of Goods Act, 1939, which limited them to their pre-war prices plus actual increases in denned costs. The utility scheme was introduced at the beginning of 1943 to ensure as far as possible that purchasers would get value for money, and, of course, the furniture is fully price-controlled under the Goods and Services (Price Control) Acts, 1939–45. I would like, however, to make one thing clear on which misleading statements have been made. The price charged for this furniture was not fixed by the Board of Trade. All prices prescribed by the Board of Trade under the Goods and Services (Price Control) Acts are maximum prices, and, therefore, there is nothing to prevent a trader selling at less than these prices, especially where considerations of quality arise.

Does not my right hon. Friend agree that the criticism implied in these Questions applies to only a comparatively small number of small firms and in fact does not apply to big firms like the Co-operative Wholesale Society?

I am not going to distinguish between small firms and big firms in this matter. The particular criticism, implied here is the result of some furniture made before the utility scheme came into existence, but it is a fact, and I have in my possession a copy of the contract of purchase, that this furniture was sold as being of imperfect quality and the purchasers signed a note to that effect. At the same time, as I said, price control now in existence relates to maximum prices and there is no reason at all why sub-standard furniture should be charged at anything like the maximum price.

In any case, are not these Questions an indication of the value of a free Press, which these hon. Members have obviously consulted?

Yes, Sir, but I have already said there have been some very misleading statements made, suggesting that this price was fixed by the Board of Trade, which is quite incorrect.

As the judge had before him the contract regarding the sale and described the whole proceedings as a "disgusting outrage," would not my right hon. Friend consider that there is some very special action needed against a large firm which has its tentacles in many other towns?

I have said we are examining the position to see whether any special action is necessary. Since, however, the purchase took place over five years ago it is difficult to get hold of all the facts.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is satisfied that he has sufficient inspectors in the furniture industry to prevent the manufacture of furniture of low quality and poor material.

No, Sir. To be certain of preventing the manufacture of furniture of low quality and poor material by any of the 4,000 firms making furniture would require a greater number of enforcement officers than could reasonably be justified. Twenty-six production officers are attached to the regional offices of my Department, whose job it is to help manufacturers with their production problems, to give general guidance on the quality of utility furniture production, and to inquire into cases of complaint. While I cannot say that no furniture of low quality or poor material is made, I have no evidence that there is any appreciable quantity of it, and I think the best results may be achieved by relying on the good sense of furniture manufacturers and of the public in buying furniture. The further definition of standards which can be satisfactorily applied to furniture manufacture is at present the subject of discussion between my Department and the industry.

Will my right hon. Friend ask his inspectors, at least, to be sufficiently vigilant as to prevent a recurrence of such a case as that of the Gosford Furnishing Company, about which there has been so much feeling in the House? Will he ask them, for example, occasionally to call at retail shops as well as at warehouses and factories?

I do not know if my hon. Friend was here when I gave a full answer on that case. I mentioned that that happened five years ago, before the utility furniture scheme was in existence. As regards the latter part of his supplementary question, I have said that my 26 officers are already fully occupied, and that I should not feel justified in extending the number of appointments.

Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that a great deal of this trouble is due, not only to the restrictions imposed by his Department and others, but also to the very high Purchase Tax that has to be paid on furniture?

I do not know whether the first part or the second part of the right hon. Gentleman's question the more clearly reveals his ignorance of the situation. In the first place, the restrictions are designed to secure, and are securing, a great improvement in the quality of furniture. In the second place, there is no Purchase Tax paid on utility furniture.

I am fully aware of what the right hon. Gentleman has said in the second part of his answer, but the tax is having a great effect on the cost of all other furniture.

Could not my right hon. Friend bring all these matters of design and quality before the regional organisations for the industry, in preference to having enforcement through enforcement officers, which increases the power of the bureaucracy at the expense of the democracy?

As I have said, we are in very full consultation with the trade in this matter. I hope to be making an announcement about design and ranges in the near future.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the very much stronger feeling that prevails in the House is about the shoddy coal being sold to the public at very high prices?

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is now in a position to state his future plans for the furniture trade.

In my statement on furniture which I made after Questions on 6th May, I said that if the supplies of utility furniture increased in relation to the demand from the priority classes, I would make a proportion of it available to all. I am now satisfied that it is possible to throw supplies open to the general public. From 23rd June, therefore, the sale of utility furniture will no longer be confined to holders of units. Although the priority classes will still have first claim on supplies of utility furniture to the extent of units issued to them, I am arranging that any trader who has utility furniture available may supply it to anyone without demanding units. I shall, of course, continue to keep the position under close review, particularly in order to see that unit holders are given effective priority. My Department have also been discussing with representatives of the furniture industry other questions affecting the production of utility furniture, including design, standards of construction and methods of timber allocation. These discussions are still in progress and, as my hon. Friend will appreciate, I cannot go into details until they have been concluded.

While thanking my right hon. Friend for the very considerable concession he has made, may I ask if he would be good enough to explain one or two points—whether, for instance, the present priority class will still be required to apply for units, and whether that means that they will be guaranteed 60 units' worth of additional furniture?

If they choose to apply for units they will be the more certain of getting supplies, because I have said that their needs must be met first, before whatever remaining supplies that are available are thrown open to the general public. If they choose to take their chance with the general public they need not apply.

How can the needs of these people first be met? Will the right hon. Gentleman explain that? What is the procedure by which tradesmen will know they should supply those with dockets first? Is there to be a period of time fixed?

No, Sir. It is perfectly possible to work this scheme. The Ministry of Works had experience of a similar scheme—and a very successful scheme—in co-operation with the builders' merchants in the matter of the W.B.A. priority arrangements. We are in full discussion with the furniture industry, and the details will shortly be announced. I can assure the House that the industry and trade are satisfied that it is possible to guarantee this.

Is this not likely to create confusion? My previous experience has been that a large number of people with dockets have had to wait a very long time before being able to get utility furniture. If it is now going to be taken off dockets it will mean that the furniture will go to places where there are people with less need of it, and that supplies will be cut down to places where people are urgently waiting for it.

My hon. Friend is quite right in saying that for a long period of time supplies were not adequate to meet all the docket demands, but, as I announced on 6th May, supplies have increased considerably, and demand is falling on the part of the docket holders. At that time I validated a number of dockets. I have been satisfied since then that the supply position is adequate to meet the needs of the docket holders and to provide a generous amount for the general public as well.

How is my right hon. Friend to overcome the anomaly that non-utility and utility furniture will be on sale together, both of similar quality, the former bearing Purchase Tax at 66⅔ per cent.?

The supplies of very high quality utility furniture will be available in sufficient measure to meet the needs of the public.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking or will take to secure that inferior articles of furniture should be sold at a lower price than the controlled prices for utility furniture.

No direct comparison can be made between the qualities and prices of utility and non-utility furniture because there are no such detailed regulations governing the quality of non-utility furniture, and Purchase Tax is only chargeable on non-utility. Non-utility furniture is subject to price control and if my hon. Friend considers that an excessive charge has been made in any case, he should report it to the local price regulation committee, who will make investigation.

Will my right hon. Friend consider making it compulsory to designate these prices as "maximum permissible prices" as the term "controlled price" affords an excuse to many dealers to say that they are only catering for inferior articles at prices laid down by the Board of Trade?

I think that what I have said in my previous replies should bring this matter to the attention of all traders and of the general public. I think that in any statement that we put out we say "maximum permissible price," but I shall be glad to look into that matter.

Which furniture is considered more useful—utility or non-utility?

It depends, of course, what the hon. and learned Gentleman means by "useful" and by "utility," respectively. It is certainly a fact that utility furniture does satisfy the needs of the greatest proportion of the furniture buying public, and does guarantee a quality and standard of production which we have never had before in this country.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will now arrange for pottery manufacturers to supply the pint pot needs of the West Riding of Yorkshire where tea-cups are not always accepted substitutes; and whether pint pots with a colourful design may now be manufactured.

I know full well that pint pots are very much in demand in Yorkshire and other industrial areas. A number of manufacturers have been asked to try to produce more. Export needs, however, must of course come first, and as pottery drinking vessels of all sorts are scarce everywhere at home I am afraid that with great regret I cannot promise any special treatment for the West Riding. In reply to the second part of his Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Hey wood and Radcliffe (Mr. Anthony Greenwood) on 1st June.

Can the Minister say whether pint pots are being exported?

I should want notice of that question. I do not think they are exported, but the general shortage of pottery owing to exports has affected the supply of pint pots, among other things.

Is the Minister under any misapprehension about pint pots, as in Yorkshire they are used in a very general way for the consumption of tea?

No, Sir. Having been born in Yorkshire not two miles from the hon. Member's former constituency, I well know what pint pots are used for, and in no part of my answer did I suggest I was under any misapprehension. The pots are used principally for the consumption of tea, cocoa and other liquids.

If this is something which is used in a very general way, it may be used for other things besides tea.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that, after a disabled ex-Service man has received training in leathercraft, he is only allowed a licence to purchase 25 square feet of leather per quarter, whereas the amount required is 40 square feet per week in order to make a reasonable living; and whether he will consider abolishing this control altogether in the case of disabled men.

Severely disabled persons, whose only means of livelihood is leather work at home, have been granted licences on the advice of the Ministry of Labour, the amount allowed being 250 square feet of leather per quarter. In addition persons undergoing medical treatment, including occupational therapy, for which leather is required, have been allowed to purchase 25 square feet of leather per quarter. I am afraid that the general shortage of leather makes it impossible for me to abolish these restrictions at present. I am, however, considering whether some additional amount of sheepskin leather can be allocated next quarter.

Has the Minister received a letter I have sent him giving more details about this subject; and could he assure the House he will go into it very much further indeed? The question of the shortage of leather does not arise with regard to these small amounts required in these cases.

I have received the hon. Member's letter and I shall be replying in the course of the next day or two.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why import licences were granted for 12 polar bears landed at Glasgow from Belgium last month.

I assume that my hon. Friend is referring to 12 polar bears from Sweden which were landed at Hull on the 30th April. No import licence was granted. The animals and their trainer and equipment were landed under a Customs concession allowing the entry of artists and their equipment for entertainment purposes, where, as in this case, such entry is covered by a Ministry of Labour permit and no payment is to be made.

Will my hon. Friend say, whether it was Glasgow or Hull if it is a good thing in his opinion that this kind of traffic should be allowed to continue?

These polar bears will became part of the general equipment of the entertainment and are not being imported under any open general licence allowing the import of polar bears. They are coming as part of the entertainment team and, therefore, I would not consider myself justified in interfering in this matter.

Can the Minister assure us that these animals have not arrived here as a result of some misleading information about our climate given by the meteorological office?

No, Sir. I understand they came purely to assist the artists under their own volition.

Are these polar bears destined for the London Zoo? Why should they arrive via Belgium on the way from the Arctic to this country?

So far as I know they are not destined for any zoo. They are destined for circus performances and I was not aware that they were imported from Belgium, but if the hon. Member puts a question down about the transportation of polar bears I shall be glad to investigate.

Is the Minister willing to give the full story behind this situation, because a whole lot of the story has not come out so far?

I have nothing to conceal in this matter. If there are any aspects of the matter to which the hon. Member desires to draw attention by means of a Question, I shall be very happy to give the House all the information at my disposal.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if, in view of the need to conserve our dollar resources, he would arrange for a list and description of manufactured articles being purchased from the United States to be drawn up; and samples to be made available for inspection to enable British manufacturers to see if it would be possible for some of these items to be manufactured in this country.

While I do not think my hon. Friend's suggestion would achieve the object he has in mind, I can assure him that His Majesty's Government have constantly before them the possibility of manufacturing in this country goods which were previously imported, and that a number of specific proposals to this end have already been adopted.

While I thank the President of the Board of Trade for his reply, may I ask him if he realises that at present departmental officials sit in judgment in this matter, whereas if adequate lists and descriptions were published of the items which are being imported from America it would enable a manufacturer to see if he can use his existing plant, technical experience and factory space in order to make these items instead of importing them from dollar areas?

In most cases we are in close touch with the traders concerned, and in many cases dollar saving production has already been started up.

Does the President of the Board of Trade realise that it is because manufacturers are not getting this information that these complaints have been put as Questions on the Order Paper?

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that a firm in Lincoln are offering by public advertisement, particulars of which have been sent him, the sale of ex-officers' brand new boots at 69s. a pair coupon free; and if he will make a statement explaining why this is being permitted.

Government surplus clothing and footwear, bearing identifying marks, is coupon-free. I have asked the local price regulation committee to inquire into the price at which these boots are being sold, and I will inform my hon. Friend when I have their report.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the reasons for the shortage of tobacco and cigarettes in West Cumberland as compared with other areas; and what steps will he take to remedy the position.

The shortage of tobacco and cigarettes is due to restriction in supplies of leaf. I am satisfied that the position in West Cumberland is no worse than in most parts of the country.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that in West Cumberland we feel that distribution is based on prewar sales when West Cumberland was a distressed area? As West Cumberland is no longer a distressed area, will my right hon. Friend pay attention to increased needs due to better employment and purchasing power?

I know there are three times as many people employed in West Cumberland as there were before the war, but it was not my information that supplies were based on prewar allocations, and I shall be glad to look into that and to see upon what supplies are based.

Will the Minister tell us whether there is any immediate possibility of an increased supply of leaf tobacco?

No, Sir; I do not think I have anything to add to previous statements.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the difficulty facing manufacturers of pottery who wish to modernise production by firing the ware in continuous ovens or kilns; and whether he will assist them by reducing the number of units for these ovens and kilns that are exported at present.

I fully realise that scarcity of steel and building capacity are a handicap in the way of manufacturers wishing to re-equip their works with continuous ovens, and I am doing all I can to help them in this respect. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Supply informs me that only some 10 per cent. of the output of the pottery equipment industry is being exported, and that this small percentage covers the maintenance needs of equipment already installed abroad. The position is being watched very closely.

Whilst thanking my right hon. Friend for his reply, may I ask him whether he is aware that the average length of time a manufacturer must wait is now two years, and, if that is so, whether he can in any way encourage the manufacture of the units described, in order that the export drive may benefit?

The long delivery period to which my hon. Friend refers is due to the fact that there is much more necessity now to put in these more modern forms of equipment, and also to the fact that the industry which makes this equipment was severely limited by prewar conditions. However, 84 of these types of equipment have been installed in the last three years.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what percentage of the total manufacture of boots and shoes and woollen and cotton garments are of the utility type.

The proportion of utility goods to total manufacture for the home market represents the following percentages: boots and shoes, 60 per cent.; woven wool garments, 75 per cent.; woven cotton garments, 79 per cent.; knitted garments of wool or cotton, 85 per cent.

May we have an assurance from my right hon. Friend that, in view of the accepted value of the good design of nearly all these articles, these percentages will not be allowed to fall in the future?

Yes, Sir, in view of the considerations to which my hon. Friend referred it is certainly our intention to maintain the utility scheme as fully as possible.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many Lancashire mayors have applied to his Department for a special allocation of clothing coupons; and in how many cases his officials have exercised their discretion in favour of such applications.

Of the Lancashire lord mayors and mayors elected to office for the current year, 37 have applied for and received a special allocation of clothing coupons.

Does not the small number of applications show that these mayors are, in fact, acting with a full sense of responsibility? Does my right hon. Friend see any reason to suppose that the chairmen of urban district councils would not show a similar sense of their responsibility?

That is a different question, but I can assure my hon. Friend that I am looking into this matter again.

Do Scottish provosts get extra coupons? If not, why not?

This Question relates only to mayors in the Duchy of Lancaster, but I can assure the hon. and gallant Gentleman that Scottish provosts are in the same position as English mayors.

asked the President of the Board of Trade in view of the pro posed discussions to extend the Anglo-Soviet trade agreement, whether clarification has now been reached with the Administrator of the European Recovery Programme as to the possible effect on Anglo-Soviet trade of the obligation resting, upon him to refuse delivery to countries-participating in the Marshall Plan of any commodities which go into production for re-delivery to any non-participating country.

Not yet, Sir.

In view of the fact that the operation of this provision of the Economic Co-operation Act to which the Question refers can cripple not only Anglo-Soviet trade, but great sections of the rest of our trade, will the President of the Board of Trade tell us what stands in the way of our getting clarification from the Administrator, and will he consider pressing his colleagues in the Cabinet to see that no bilateral agreement is signed by America which reserves to the Administrator any right to direct our trade?

I do not accept at all that any crippling of our trade, whether with the Soviet Union or other countries of Eastern Europe, is involved in this matter. It is in the course of clarification at the present time, and I would ask the hon. Member to wait until an announcement can be made.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the films made under the agreements recently concluded between Sir Alexander Korda and Mr. David Selznick and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, respectively, will count towards fulfilment of British quota requirements.

To count as British for quota purposes, a film must satisfy the requirements of Section 25 (1) of the Cinematograph Films Act, 1938. In particular, its British labour costs must amount to not less than the requisite proportion of the total labour costs, British and foreign. These amounts cannot be determined until the film has been completed.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has any proposals to attract additional diverse industries to Barrow-in-Furness.

My Department is fully aware of the needs of Barrow-in-Furness, and as my hon. Friend knows, I received a deputation from the local authorities in the Furness area on this matter last week. New projects to provide eventual employment for approximately 800 men and 500 women have already been approved and others are under consideration.

I am satisfied with the Minister's reply.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is now able to make a statement regarding the difficulties experienced by British exporters to obtain import licences in Sweden and the discussions that were to have been held in Stockholm on this subject.

It was found necessary to postpone completion of the discussions in Stockholm pending a detailed study of the import licences already issued for United Kingdom goods. This is now proceeding and I expect the talks to be resumed in London in the early part of July.

Will the Minister bear in mind that orders are piling up, particularly for British hosiery, and that it is important that some decision should be reached quickly?

I am well aware of this, and we have pressed this matter in discussions with the Swedish Government, but there are technical difficulties on their side, which are taking a little time.

Will the President of the Board of Trade make sure that no granite is imported into this country from Sweden, since we are perfectly able to produce granite from the quarries in this country?

The Question relates to the difficulties experienced by British exporters and not British importers. Without notice, I cannot give the categorical assurance for which the hon. and learned Member asks. If my memory is correct, I think that we have already told the Swedish Government that there is no question of our importing granite.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, what were the factors leading to the recent closing of the Grenfell Factory at Llwnynypia; whether those factors were known prior to the allocation of the factory; and if there is now a possibility of an early resumption of work with adequate supply of materials.

The Grenfell factory at Llwnynypia has been temporarily closed on account of the firm's inability to obtain deliveries of spring wires, supplies of which are very short. The situation was aggravated by a breakdown of the mill on which the drawers of special wire used in upholstery spring manufacture are dependent. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Supply has, however, made arrangements for the firm to obtain further supplies of wire from stocks held by the wire drawers until this mill is working again. As regards the second part of the Question it was known at the end of 1946, when the firm were negotiating with my Department for factory space in South Wales, that it was not easy to obtain additional supplies of wire but it was hoped that the situation would have improved by the time the factory was occupied.

Is it not astounding that many thousands of pounds of public money should be expended on the construction of a factory which is kept idle, when it is supposed to provide work for a sorely inflicted section of the mining community in South Wales?

This money was not spent with the idea of keeping the factory idle. Its temporary closing was due to the breakdown of a mill producing this wire, and my right hon. Friend the Minister of Supply has taken steps to see that supplies are made available.

In view of the considerable disappointment in South Wales over the closing of this factory, and in view of the assurance given by my right hon. Friend this afternoon, can he say how long it will be before the raw material will be available, so that work can be restarted at this factory?

I should want notice to say exactly when the special supplies will be available, but my understanding is that they will be available very quickly.

Having regard to the statement which has just been made by the President of the Board of Trade, that it was known in 1946 that in all probability there would be a shortage of material, why is it that his Department and other Departments of the Government allocated this factory to a body who are likely to keep it idle?

It is not a question of allocating it to a body likely to keep it idle. It was known that wire supplies might prove difficult, but it was not known, and could not be foreseen, that this mill would break down for three or four weeks.

That is planning?

Of course, if the capacity of wire production, as with the rest of the steel industry, was anything like adequate to meet the needs of this country under full employment, this would not have happened.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many of the Grenfell factories, due for completion this year, have been allocated; and will he give the names of the firms and the nature of the business in each case.

Applications for five of the ten Grenfell factories have now been accepted. The names of the firms and their products are as follow: Bamford Springs, Ltd., Spring interior mattresses; A. J. Tyler and Co., Rainwater goods; Craton, Ltd., Carton and dairy machinery; Cyc Arc, Ltd., Industrial studs and welding; Philip Owen, Ltd., Textile printing.

Is my right hon. Friend satisfied that in the case of the Grenfell factories which will be opened this year the work provided is not such as to cause the same experience as in the case of the factory at Llwnynypia?

A relatively small number of firms have applied to take over the Grenfell factories, and these factories have been chosen in relation to the expected supplies of raw material.

Is not the Minister aware that the hon. Member for Gower (Mr. Grenfell) has already had good cause to regret the association of his name with this scheme?

No, Sir. I think that is an extreme view. The point is that there never has been any attempt made before in the history of this country to build factories for silicotics. The fact that one factory closed down for two or three weeks as a result of a breakdown at the mill supplying the raw material, should not lead to an excessive statement of that kind.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what quantity of newsprint is allocated for the production of the periodical "Soviet Weekly," and to whom this allocation is made.

The total amount of paper which may be used for the "Soviet Weekly" is fixed by Central Office of Information in accordance with the permitted number and size of copies which may be produced each week; the consumption does not exceed 10 tons a month. I understand the publishers are the "Soviet Weekly," at 630, Grand Buildings, Trafalgar Square.

Would the right hon. Gentleman request the Soviet Embassy not to send Members of Parliament duplicate copies?

I am not responsible for the distribution of this paper. I am sure that the House will realise that the small quantity of paper allocated for this purpose is balanced by similar supplies being made available in the Soviet Union for the publication of the British Journal, "Britansky Soyuznik."

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what is the present level of home produced oil; and how its cost compares with the imported product.

The output of liquid products from home produced crude petroleum and shale oil during the 12 months ending 31st March, 1948, was 35.3 million gallons, which represents 1 per cent, of our consumption. Information is not available as to the cost of producing and refining indigenous oils.

Can the Minister say why the information is not available; whether production in the past year has declined; and what are the prospects for production in future?

I should have thought the hon. Member would be aware that private firms are not in the habit of disclosing their production costs. If he will put down a Question on the second part of his supplementary question I will endeavour to give him an answer.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if, in view of representations received from local authorities, he is arranging for an allocation of petrol above the standard ration to enable members of local authorities to attend meetings in connection with public duties, without sacrificing their right as ordinary motorists to use some petrol for pleasure driving this summer.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will sympathetically consider applications for petrol made by rural district councillors to enable them to carry out their duties in addition to attendance at definite meetings of their Councils:

All applications from members of local authorities for supplementary allowances to carry out their public duties are considered on their merits, but I cannot agree to modify in their favour the rule that the amount of the standard ration must be deducted from all issues of supplementary allowances made by the Regional Petroleum Office.

Does the Minister really consider it fair that those who give their time in voluntary service to the community should thereby be penalised?

I cannot agree that they are penalised. As I have said on more than one occasion in the past, I fully agree that motorists are differently affected by this. Nevertheless, I am quite satisfied that all of them can combine a good deal of convenience and pleasure with their business.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say when he proposes to review the working of the standard ration with a view to making a concession to those who have supplementary rations only, to enable them also to enjoy the recent concession made?

It is far too early for any such review.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is aware that supplementary petrol, granted for essential purposes, is used to attend race meetings, provided some short agricultural demonstration or auction sale forms a small part of the proceedings; and what action he has taken to stop such use of petrol.

As long as the petrol issued against supplementary allowances is used for purposes for which the allowance was granted, no offence is committed. I have no desire to stop motorists combining business with pleasure.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether, in rural areas where no public transport is available, he will grant a small allowance of petrol to village cricket clubs where they could obtain the use of private cars or other vehicles for the transport of the team to play away matches for the rest of this season.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Cheltenham (Mr. Lipson) on 15th April.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that this is one of the occasions when they cannot very easily combine business with pleasure; does he not think that those who work very hard in agricultural areas ought to be able to take recreation with their neighbours, which at the moment they cannot do because of the transport difficulty; and will he look into this matter again?

We always like to encourage village cricket, but I must ask hon. Members to encourage their constituents to use the standard ration for that purpose.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether, in cases where an application to open a new hire-car business in a given area is refused as a result of advice obtained from the police, he will permit the unsuccessful applicant to see a copy of the police report and to bring forward rebutting evidence of the local needs for more hire-cars.

The information contained in the reports from the police, which the Regional Petroleum Officer considers when making his decision, is given in confidence and cannot be disclosed. Full consideration is of course given as well to any evidence of local need put forward to the Regional Petroleum Officer by the applicant.

If a man has the courage and initiative to set up a new business at his own risk, is not the only test whether it is wanted or not whether he makes a profit?

I should have thought that even the hon. Member was aware that there was a very great shortage of petrol.

Can the Minister say why it is that when a person requires a licence for a taxi it can be granted by the local urban council, whereas if somebody wants a private hire-car licence it has to be done through the Ministry and the police? Why cannot the local district council give permission?

This is a question not of giving a licence, but of allowing petrol. Petrol is granted in both cases by the Regional Petroleum Officer, who naturally takes into account the attitude of local authorities when considering taxicabs.

Is it not the case that there has been a vast increase in the number of these private hire-car firms and the petrol consumed by them, which is causing very great annoyance to private motorists, who see petrol supplies going in these directions at very high cost to the public?

It is true that there has been an increase in the number of private hire-cars, and certainly adverse views are expressed on it from time to time.

Can my right hon. Friend say whether preference is given to applicants who are disabled ex-Service men; and if not, will he give that favourable consideration?

Yes, Sir, preference is already given. Special consideration is given to cases where the Ministry of Labour recommend that it is the most suitable form of employment for a disabled person.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether Form R.P.O. 1309, Annex 3, issued by his officers, is to be taken to indicate that a double deduction in respect of the issue of standard petrol is to be made from supplementary grants during the period November, 1948, to April, 1949; and what is the meaning of paragraph 2 of the above-mentioned form.

This form was sent by the regional petroleum officers to motorists receiving supplementary allowances for the period 1st. May to 31st October, 1948, and therefore before 1st June when the standard ration became available. Consequently these motorists received their supplementary allowances in full for the period June to October in addition to the standard ration distributed through the Post Offices. It will therefore be necessary to deduct the amount of their standard ration for the period June to October next time supplementary allowances are issued to them, i.e. for the period November, 1948, to April, 1949. The amount of the standard ration for November, 1948, to April, 1949, must, of course, also then be deducted.

Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that this double reduction in respect of the standard ration will, in a great many cases, cause very great hardship, and will he instruct his officials to be somewhat flexible in the application of this rule to individual cases?

I cannot agree that any hardship is involved, but it was precisely because there might be some misunderstanding on this point that the leaflet in question was issued by the regional petroleum officers.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power how much coal has been imported from Poland and the U.S.A., respectively, during the past 18 months.

During the 18 months ended 30th April, 1948, 163,500 tons of coal were imported from Poland and 607,400 from the United States.

Would the Minister agree that the coal imported from Poland is of very inferior quality, some of which was actually sent to Newcastle; and could he give an assurance that we shall not import any more coal from Poland?

Last year we were very strongly pressed by the Opposition to import as much coal as possible. I am not aware that the quality of the coal from Poland was inferior; but, of course, these imports ceased some months ago.

Can the Minister say what were the respective prices paid for the coal from the U.S.A. and from Poland?

That information has been given in the past, but if the hon. Member will put down a Question I will give him an answer.

Is not my right hon. Friend delighted to receive from the Opposition this blessing on British coal produced by British miners?

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he is aware that the problem of subsidence damage to property in the mining areas is now most acute; and when he anticipates being in a position to publish the Report of the Committee under the Chairmanship of Mr. T. F. Turner, K.C., appointed by his predecessor in 1946 to examine the whole question of mining subsidence, in the light of the nationalisation of the coal industry.

Yes, Sir. I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave to my hon. Friend, the Member for Ilkeston (Mr. Oliver), on 29th January. Since then further meetings have been held and witnesses examined, and the committee have visited the South Yorkshire coalfield. It is expected that the hearing of evidence will be completed by the end of June. It is not yet possible to state when the Committee will be able to present their Report.

While I recognise the legal complexity of the situation, I must ask whether my right hon. Friend will bear in mind that as time goes on the distressing conditions under which these people live in subsidence areas becomes more aggravated, and, in the circumstances, will he impress upon the committee the necessity of making their Report at the first possible moment?

I quite agree with my hon. Friend about the distressing nature of this problem, and I am sure the committee are fully aware of its urgency.

Do the terms of reference include the problem of disused mines, which are not easily detected, but are of danger to life and limb; and will the terms of reference include the tin mining areas as well as coal mining areas?

I should prefer to see that question on the Order Paper before answering it.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what allowances are being paid to the members of the Industrial Coal Consumers' Council; and what is the total of remuneration and allowances fixed for the staff.

The only allowances payable to members of the Industrial Coal Consumers' Council are for travelling and subsistence at normal rates fixed by the Treasury. The secretarial and other work of the Council is carried out by officers of the Ministry who combine it with other duties. No separate remuneration or allowances are, therefore, involved.

Could the Minister say whether it is proposed to make available to the public any of the protests or complaints of this Council about the quality of coal, and other matters?

The question of publicity for the Council's proceedings is, of course, for the Council themselves. The hon. and gallant Member may have noticed that the Chairman of the Council recently held a Press conference, and gave out a good deal of information.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power how many collieries in Ayrshire continue to operate outwith the National Coal Board; and if he is satisfied with production figures of these collieries.

There are nine small mines producing coal in Ayrshire which are not operated by the National Coal Board. As far as I can judge, the output is satisfactory.

Is the Minister aware that his satisfaction is not shared by the miners in Ayrshire; that if full development of these mines is undertaken many miners who are at present unemployed in the area, and feel very strongly about it, could find employment?

I cannot see that taking over the mines would necessarily increase the amount of employment in them.

Is the Minister not aware that if he searched the files left by his predecessor he might find information to show that possibly development is not being carried out in these collieries.

Is the Minister aware that it is nearly 12 months since the Ayrshire miners made these representations to his predecessor, and will he look into the matter again now?

It is not a matter for me. The Coal Board license these small mines, and it is up to them whether or not to continue the licence.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what are the plans of the colliery companies for covering the period from the end of this year, when their interim income comes to an end, until the terms of compensation are finally settled.

Their plans are, of course, a matter for the colliery companies themselves. I would, however, draw attention to the replies I gave to the hon. Member for Cambridge University (Mr. Wilson Harris) and to the hon. and gallant Member for Totnes (Brigadier Rayner) on 27th May and 3rd June on this matter.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what actions he took between 14th May and 3rd June, 1948, in pursuance of the powers vested in him by Section 3 (1) of the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act, 1946; and what information he obtained under Section 3 (4) of the same Act during the same period.

I would refer the hon. Member to the statements made by my predecessor in reply to Questions by the hon. Member for Sutton Coldfield (Sir J. Mellor) on 9th June, 1947, in which he explained that statistical and other periodic returns are regularly supplied by the National Coal Board to my Department. No occasion arose in the period mentioned in the Question to invoke the provisions of Section 3 (1) or Section 3 (4) of the Coal Nationalisation Act.

Are we to assume that the resignation of Sir Charles Reid which "The Times" described as "distressing," whose criticisms "The Times" described as "firmly based" and whose demand for an impartial inquiry was described as "firmly founded" has not caused the Minister to issue any instructions or to ask for any special information following upon that event?

I have nothing to add to the earlier statements I have made on this subject.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power how many days' notice Sir Charles Reid gave him on retiring from the Coal Board.

Sir Charles' letter to me was dated 10th May, 1948, and his resignation took effect from 15th May, 1948. He has already made plain that he proposed to me, on 18th March, 1948, that he should resign.

In view of the action taken against unofficial strikers and absentees, will the Minister tell us whether any action is to be taken against this gentleman?

I deprecate these attacks in regard to a person who is not a Member of this House and cannot, therefore, be present.

The point goes much further than that. In view of the fact that Parliamentary Privilege has been used to make an attack on a distinguished civil servant will the Minister make it clear that everything he did was in accord with his contract, and that it is not likely to lead to a strike as is the case with miners for whom the hon. Member for South Ayrshire (Mr. Emrys Hughes) speaks. I give the right hon. Gentleman notice that I will raise the matter on the Adjournment.

rose —

As notice has been given that the matter is to be raised on the Adjournment no further Questions can be asked.

asked the Minister of Labour why he has refused the application for the earlier release of Craftsman T. P. Clark, 19141534, to enable him to enter the Polytechnic, who have accepted him as a student, on 1st November, 1948.

No application has been received for the early release of Craftsman Clark to start his studies. He is not, however, eligible for such release as he was called up after the end of 1946.

Is the Minister aware that an application must have been made because the Polytechnic accepted him? Is he further aware that by the time he enters the Polytechnic he will have served 18 months of the two years, and cannot he have this opportunity of higher education in accordance with the spirit of what the Minister said in this House in February?

I do not know whether the Regent Street Polytechnic accepted him, but they inform me that they did not apply for his release. He must serve his term the same as the others.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on what grounds the Commissioners of Customs and Excise were permitted to intervene in refusing to allow a concession of Purchase Tax on cutlery being ordered by the American Embassy for use in the Embassy in this country and other American Embassies in Europe, contrary to the earlier decision to supply free from duty, in view of the fact that payment was to be made in dollars, the result of which refusal has been the cancellation of the order.