Eastern Europe
asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps are being taken to expand British trade with Eastern Europe, in view of the announcement by the United Nations Economic Commission that such East-West trade in Europe must be increased five-fold by 1952 in order to attain independence from the U.S.A.
Since the beginning of 1947 His Majesty's Government have concluded trade agreements with Hungary, Poland and Russia which have led to an increased exchange of commodities of importance to the economies of these countries and of the United Kingdom.
Negotiations with Russia for a further trade agreement are now taking place. I am not without hope that the long protracted negotiations with Yugoslavia will in the near future result in an agreement governing trade and other outstanding matters and I would emphasise that the delay in reaching agreement has been no obstacle to the purchase of useful quantities of timber. We have also purchased timber from Roumania although there is no trade agreement. With Roumania as well as with Bulgaria preliminary discussions are taking place about supplies of foodstuffs from those countries.
In the agreement with Poland of last March it was foreseen that talks about long-term trade agreements should take place this year and we are now in consultation with the Polish Government on this matter.
I should at the same time remind the hon. Member that most of the countries concerned owe us very large sums indeed on account of financial and commercial debts and compensation for British property which has been nationalised. These claims cannot be ignored in our negotiations for the expansion of trade.
Shermans Pools (Paper)
asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a full statement as to why his Department did not proceed with the prosecution of the football pool firm, whose name has been supplied to him, for breaches of regulations in connection with paper supplies; and what was the full amount of legal costs and other expenses incurred by his Department before the decision to withdraw the prosecution was taken.
I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Central Cardiff (Mr. G. Thomas), on the 13th May last. The full amount of the legal costs and other expenses incurred by the Department have not yet been finally ascertained but it is expected that they will be between £450 and £500.
Fencing Timber
asked the Minister of Health if he will relax the restrictions on waste hardwood, lop, top and slab wood, for fencing, in view of the fact that supplies of this type of wood are plentiful and there is a very small outlet.
I have been asked to reply. I am aware that in some parts of the country supplies of waste timber of this nature are relatively plentiful, but the potential demand for timber for fencing is very large indeed, and any relaxation would be likely to result in such pressure for material for the purpose as would endanger supplies for packing and other essential requirements. Licences are now granted more freely than hitherto for agricultural fencing and for the repair of other types of existing fencing, and if the hon. Member has a particular instance in mind where there is no outlet for supplies I will look into the matter if he will let me have particulars.
Potatoes (Imports and Exports)
asked the Minister of Food what quantity of potatoes have been imported from Poland during the three months to the latest time for which figures are available; what quantity of home grown potatoes have been exported; what quantity of other potatoes were re-exported during this period; and what were their destinations.
During the three months ending 31st August 6,362 tons of potatoes were imported from Poland, the last consignment arriving on 7th June. Exports of home grown potatoes in the same period were 39,542 tons to Germany, St. Helena, Malta and the Falkland Islands. Re-exports were 22,436 tons to Germany.
Maintenance and Improvements (Savings)
asked the Minister of Transport what saving in terms of money and men has resulted and will result from the curtailment of the highway programme proposed in Circular 618 of 16th January, 1948.
The road staffs of highway authorities had by last August been reduced to 75,485 from the figure of 95,362 at which they stood in August, 1947. A further saving in manpower which is difficult to estimate has resulted from the curtailment and postponement of a number of improvement schemes which are being, or would have been. carried out by contract.
The proposed expenditure on maintenance of trunk and classified roads in 1948–49 is estimated at £24 million as compared with £29½ million in 1947–48. So far as improvements are concerned, the expenditure of about £2,800,000 on works previously authorised for commencement has been deferred; but the postponement of many other proposed schemes, such as the Severn Bridge—estimated to cost £9 million—and the Widnes-Runcorn Bridge—more than £3 million—will result in the deferment of a much larger volume of expenditure.
Clapham Park Road (Congestion)
asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware of the danger to traffic and to the public of the narrow bottleneck at the bend of Clapham Park Road, Clapham; the congestion caused by the existence of a dump for second-hand motor vehicles; the parking of vehicles immediately outside; and if he will take steps to remedy the danger.
While conditions will be materially improved when it is possible to carry out the widening scheme for this road prepared by the London County Council, the Police report that no accidents have occurred in the vicinity of the junction of Clapham Park Road and Abbeville Road during 1948, and only one case of obstruction to traffic has been reported. No special action appears to be required for the present, but I have no doubt that the Police will continue to keep traffic conditions under observation.
HOUSING (SCOTLAND)
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that a member of the staff of the Fife County Council, having failed to obtain a house in Cupar, has been refused permission by the Department of Health to build a house for himself; while at the same time the Department have approved the erection of 25 aluminium houses for Post Office workers at Hawklaw Radio Station, Cupar; upon what grounds he provides houses for Civil Servants but refuses them for local authority officials: and if he will reconsider his decision.
I am aware of the circumstances referred to. The aluminium houses mentioned are being provided by the Ministry of Works for the accommodation of transferred key workers and their families. I see no reason to depart from these arrangements.