asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations by what criterion His Majesty's Government is guided in determining whether to consult Governments in the Dominions prior to important decisions being arrived at by His Majesty's Government, or merely to inform Governments in the Dominions subsequent to a decision having been taken.

It is the invariable practice of His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom to ensure that other members of the Commonwealth are informed in advance on any matter which falls to be decided by this Government, but which may affect Commonwealth interests. The object is to enable the other Governments to express any views which they may wish to put forward; and I need hardly add to enable His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom to take fully into account such views as their Commonwealth partners may express.

Is the Prime Minister satisfied that the Dominions are fully consulted before important decisions are taken, apart from their being informed of those decisions which are arrived at in this country?

Yes, Sir. The object of giving information is so that comments may be passed from one Government to another. That is the object of that notification; therefore, there is time for consultation except occasionally in some extreme incident, when one Government may have to act very quickly.

Would the Prime Minister say whether this criterion was accepted by the Government before or after the recognition of Communist China?

Can the Prime Minister say whether the criterion is the same for foreign affairs and Defence as for other matters?

Yes, Sir, in all these matters we endeavour to have the fullest possible consultation.

asked the Prime Minister what representations he has received within the last six months from Dominion Prime Ministers personally, or from Dominion Governments, with regard to the desirability of consultation between His Majesty's Government and Dominion Governments before important decisions are arrived at by the former affecting the Empire and Commonwealth as a whole.

None, Sir.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations whether he will make a statement on the execution of the agreement with Commonwealth countries for technical assistance to South-East Asia.

The Commonwealth Consultative Committee which met at Sydney in May recommended that a Commonwealth technical assistance scheme should be inaugurated within the next few months and that a bureau should be set up at Colombo to co-ordinate the work. In pursuance of this recommendation a standing committee of officials is at present meeting in Colombo to prepare a report on how the scheme in general and the bureau should work. This report will be considered at the next meeting of the Commonwealth Consultative Committee. The Standing Committee will also deal with day to day questions connected with the provision of technical assistance until such time as the proposed bureau is formally established.

May I ask whether there has been any particular agreement with the Australian Government since May on this matter?

I should have to have notice of that question.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations if he can now say what steps he proposes to take to approach the Government of South Africa with regard to the neglected state of the cemeteries and graves of Imperial troops who died in the South African war; and in view of the undertaking given by the Government of that country many years ago that these cemeteries and graves would be looked after and maintained.

A communication has been sent to the United Kingdom High Commissioner in the Union of South Africa on this matter.

Will the Prime Minister say why the Commonwealth authorities have not dealt with this matter before, in view of the many representations made by the South African War Veterans Association, and other interested parties?

Because consideration had to be given to exactly where the responsibility lay in this matter.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what were the stocks of softwood in this country on 30th June, 1949, and the 30th June, 1950, respectively.

Stocks of softwood, excluding sleepers and poles, were 206,000 standards at 30th June, 1949. Returns from merchants for June, 1950, have not yet been collated, but I estimate that stocks at the 30th June were about 170,000 standards. Softwood stocks are, of course, always at their lowest at the end of June and as the result of an increasing flow of imports the normal seasonal improvement has now started.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say to what cause he attributes this decline in stocks?

Yes, Sir; I have explained on a number of occasions that this decline compared with a year ago is one of availability of dollars for buying from Canada last winter—[HON. MEMBERS: "What about Sweden?"] I have already made it clear that purchases from Sweden do not affect this year's stocks, but that supplies will be available for the coming year.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how the price, c.i.f., of the Soviet softwood which has arrived in this country compares with the price of £55 10s. per standard, c.i.f., United Kingdom ports, paid recently to Sweden.

No softwood out of our recent contract with the Soviet supplies has as yet arrived. The first five cargoes, however, are expected within the next week. Their average basis c.i.f. price will be less than £55 10s. per standard.

Does that apply to Russian timber shipped from the White Sea ports?

The Question related to the timber which has arrived in the United Kingdom. None as yet has arrived. The cargoes expected this week are not all coming from the White Sea ports.

Is not it a fact that freights of £8 10s. a standard and more have been paid for Russian timber, which will bring the cost up to at least as high as Swedish timber, if not higher?

That is a question relating to timber which has already arrived, and the answer relates to timber which is arriving during the next few days. If the hon. Member requires information about other cargoes I shall be very glad to give him an answer.

Can the right hon. Gentleman circulate a list of the ports from which this timber will be shipped?

If the hon. Member will put down a Question I will see that he receives an answer.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has considered the continued concern expressed to him by the National Society of Pottery Workers and the British Pottery Manufacturers at the growing competition of the Japanese pottery industry, its output, conditions of employment, rates of wages, earnings, etc.; and what action he intends taking.

Yes, Sir. I am giving this matter very close attention. I am aware that the United Kingdom industry are concerned in particular about signs of the revival of the type of unfair practice familiar before the war. It is the policy of His Majesty's Government to assist United Kingdom firms to make use of the legal protection now available in Japan against misuse or copying of designs and trade marks.

Does not my right hon. Friend think it would be a good arrangement if an advisory committee of a representative character was set up in those industries likely to be affected, so that they can get information?

I am prepared to consider that, but we are in close touch with the industries concerned, and if they can produce evidence of unfair production, or prices below the cost of production, we shall be very glad to inquire into them.

Can the Minister explain how hon. Members opposite can justify this type of demand for "feather bedding" of the particular industries in which they are interested after having condemned the alleged "feather bedding" of farmers?

There is a big difference between "feather bedding" and unfair practices in the matter of imports from overseas.

In avoiding Japanese competition is it not possible also to see that less exorbitant prices are charged in the home market?

Pottery is under price control at the present time.

asked the President of the Board of Trade in what circumstances visitors to this country desiring to purchase a motor car for export are required by his Department to produce an import licence issued by the other country.

So far as the Board of Trade is concerned, "None, Sir."

Is the President aware that certain motor companies insist on such a licence and that in some cases the country of destination does not require one? If I sent him details will he look into this matter?

I have seen details of this practice which the hon. and gallant Gentleman was good enough to send to me, but it is being carried out by the motor companies and not by the Government.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, in view of changed economic circumstances, he will now restore the obligation upon local authorities to collect paper and provide an incentive to encourage people to collect the maximum amount of paper.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to induce local authorities to revive the collection of waste paper now urgently needed by the mills.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if, in view of the difficulty of obtaining newsprint, he will organise the salvage of waste paper throughout the country on business lines.

I would refer the hon. Members to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Normanton (Mr. T. J. Brooks) on 25th July about the collection of waste paper. The production of newsprint in this country is not limited by shortage of waste paper or any other raw material, but by the capacity of the mills.

Is not it a fact that local authorities have now ceased collecting waste paper because of the additional cost imposed by the rise in petrol, which they cannot meet?

Very many local authorities stopped collection last year, because the prices they got from the waste paper trade were not sufficient to cover the then cost of collection.

In view of the fact that my Question asked that the collection of waste paper should be run on business lines, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman if he is aware that local authorities do not collect all the available paper because they make a loss on it? Is he also aware that good paper can be made of wheat straw, and will he make a firm decision before the harvest in order that hundreds of tons of this wheat straw shall not be burned?

I should have thought that the hon. Gentleman was aware that the trouble about the collection of waste paper is that it is being run on business lines at the present time, and that the price received for it is not sufficient to cover the cost of collection.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the proposed closure of the Tinplate and Woodside Ironworks has caused great anxiety in Coatbridge and, as the unemployment figures are already 6 per cent. of the insured population, if he can now make a statement regarding the future prospects of this development area.

As my hon. Friend was informed on 25th July, one new factory in Coatbridge is due to start work shortly, as well as others at Newhouse. Coatbridge is one of the districts in the Scottish Development Area to which my Department is making every effort to steer further industry. I should add that Coatbridge will be among the places which will be covered by further changes in development area policy which I hope to announce in the course of the next few days.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that that will give very great satisfaction to the people of Coatbridge? May I ask him, however, if he can be somewhat more definite about the factory which is about to be occupied, because it has been "about to be occupied" for at least 12 months and we are beginning to wonder when it actually will be occupied?

I will certainly look into that.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what quantity of tinplate is being exported to foreign countries for use in canning luxury vegetables which are subsequently imported into this country.

I am not sure what the hon. Member means by "luxury" vegetables, but in the past 12 months, 103 tons of tinplate were exported for the purpose of canning tomato puree.

Will the right hon. Gentleman reconsider his policy in this matter? Is he aware that some of our British canneries are on the point of being closed because of the shortage of tinplate while Dutch canneries have received more than six times as much tinplate from this country as last year?

I am aware of the serious tinplate position, but the hon. Gentleman will be glad to know that the export of tinplate is strictly controlled and that a large proportion of the quantity exported is used to can food for import into this country.

Is that not a very unwise use of the control? Surely the priority should be for home-produced fruit and vegetables to be canned here.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that work on a housing estate at Ealing is being seriously delayed because the timber control are at present unable to supply the necessary timber to the contractors, Messrs. Y. J. Lovell of Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire; and what action he is taking.

I understand that the hon. Member is referring to the Medlar Farm Housing Estate, Ealing, and I am informed that no work has been delayed there by lack of timber. My inquiries show that the contractors made their approach to Timber Control in anticipation of difficulties which did not, in fact, arise; in the event, they were able to meet their requirements from timber merchants in the normal way.

Does the right hon. Gentleman know that the contractors have informed me that their work was held up on this job? Does that delay not show that in spite of the answer given to my right hon. Friend the Member for Streatham (Mr. Sandys), on 11th July, housing contracts are being delayed by lack of timber?

The statement that there are no timber difficulties in this contract came to my Department from the deputy borough surveyor of Ealing Corporation.

asked the President of Board of Trade if he can yet make an announcement in respect to the distribution of nylon stockings following his consideration of this problem.

Not yet, Sir.

Can my right hon. Friend say when he is likely to make this very important announcement?

I am still awaiting further information on the very difficult and complicated system of distribution which seems to apply in the case of nylon stockings.

Would it not be fairer to the women of this country to make it quite plain that there is not sufficient nylon yarn to produce stockings so that all can have what they want, instead of trying to fool them that they can all have them quickly?

There is no question on this side of the House of fooling them, but it is clear to a very large number of the women of this country that if the available supplies of nylon stockings, running at 24 million pairs a year, were more fairly distributed, far more people would have a chance of being supplied.

Will my right hon. Friend make sure that the stockings which are distributed are clearly marked whether they are sub-standard or first-class? Is he aware that I have letters from the manufacturers telling me that stockings which I have submitted to them are definitely sub-standard, one letter saying:

"We are very concerned to learn that these were purchased at 12s. 11d. per pair, as the correct price is 8s. 9d."?

Yes, Sir. My investigations into this question will certainly include the marking of these stockings and if cases are reported to me of stockings being sold at above the controlled price we will consider taking proceedings.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what quantity of nylon stockings left home factories for export in the first six months of this year; what proportion of this quantity were actually exported; and what has happened to the remainder.

Complete returns of June deliveries of nylon stockings are not yet available. The manufacturers' returns for the seven months from November, 1949, to May, 1950, show that out of total sales of 27 million pairs of fully fashioned and circular knitted nylon stockings, 16 million pairs were supplied for export.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what instructions he is giving to the British delegation to the forthcoming international conference at Torquay in respect of negotiations affecting Imperial preferences.

I am afraid that I could not undertake to announce beforehand the instructions to be given to the United Kingdom delegation since it would clearly not be possible to carry out sucessful negotiations in such circumstances. The House will, however, be aware that it is Government policy, first, to agree to reductions in our tariff, or in the preferences we enjoy in Commonwealth countries, only where we secure a tariff concession which we consider of at least equal advantage, and, secondly, to agree to no changes in preferences which we give or enjoy, without the fullest consultation with other Commonwealth countries involved.

Can the right hon. Gentleman give an assurance that in any commitment entered into, the present time limit in which these commitments can be repudiated or denounced—I believe it is six months—will not be increased to three years?

There may be some confusion between the length of the period for which the General Agreements on Tariffs and Trade continue and the period for which each of these tariff commitments continues. I can assure the hon. Gentleman that my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary will be making a fairly full statement on this in tomorrow's Debate.

Is not the right hon. Gentleman aware that these preferences are the most effective instrument for stimulating trade between ourselves and Commonwealth countries; and is it not an act of the greatest folly to continue to bind our hands as we have done in the past? Will he bear this in mind when issuing instructions to the delegation?

I am aware that it is an instrument, but the events of the last two or three years have shown that long-term contracts and other instruments have been almost as important, and perhaps more important, in increasing the volume of trade with the Commonwealth to its present record level.

Can the right hon. Gentleman give an assurance that he will not tie the hands of the Government in connection with the horticultural part of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, because the horticultural industry has no assured market? Will he ensure that relevant parts of the agreement can be denounced if circumstances warrant it?

I can assure the hon. and gallant Gentleman that the question of the negotiations in regard to horticulture is receiving very special attention at the present time.

Is it not the case that under the terms of the Geneva Agreements even long-term contracts would not be allowed if the price paid was not the cheapest that could be obtained?

That is very wide of the Question on the Order Paper.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that permission to import plywood is only given by the Timber Trade Federation to members of its plywood importers' section, that such membership is confined to traders who have a minimum current annual turnover, and that a firm which imported large quantities of plywood before the war has been refused membership; and whether he will remove this restriction.

I understand that plywood shippers and agents have agreed with the Timber Trades Federation a list of plywood importers, to which any firm may apply to be admitted. I have no power to influence the decision of the Federation on these applications.

Is not this a restrictive practice of the kind which the Government said they wanted to stop?

We would always be prepared to consider whether this was suitable for reference to the Monopolies Commission. When the purchase of hardwood reverted to private trade, I made it clear that we did not want any rings set up to take the place of public control. I have met the hardwood section of the Timber Trade Federation and they satisfied me for the time being that what they were doing was essential, but I made it clear that it must not continue permanently.

Will my right hon. Friend watch this because there is great dissatisfaction about it? It does not seem right to me that the Timber Trade Federation should be able arbitrarily to exclude new entrants to the industry.

I have made it clear that they are not able to do this without some interference from ourselves. I had a discussion with the trade about the methods of operating this restriction on entry into the hardwood trade, and I was fully satisfied about the way in which they were doing it.

Will my right hon. Friend, as far as he is able, see that this method of trade control does not result in the price being kept at the terrifically high figure at which it is at the moment?

Yes, Sir. Before reversion to private trade took place I made it clear to the Timber Trade Federation that they would not be allowed to operate a ring which forces up the price, but they had to put into force some temporary arrangement because of the necessity to dispose of Government stocks and because of the condition of the sellers' market abroad.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will take steps to prevent the export trade of this country being injured due to the practice of a number of shipping companies handling cases of goods for export packed in fibre boarding, automatically endorsing them on the bill of lading as being insufficiently packed, since it is giving overseas buyers an excuse to refuse acceptance of the bills and goods and is resulting in claims against the Export Credit Guarantees Department.

This matter has been the subject of negotiation between the Government Departments concerned and the shipping lines and, as a result, several shipping companies have agreed to accept suitable fibreboard outer packing for a wide range of goods, without automatically endorsing the bills of lading. I am not aware that the practice to which my hon. Friend refers has resulted in claims being made against the Export Credits Guarantee Department, none of whose policies includes cover for losses so incurred. If, however, my hon. Friend will give me details of any specific case where difficulty has arisen, I will look into the matter.

Does my right hon. Friend realise that with the present buyers' market and the tendency for world prices to fall, some foreign importers are using every excuse not to accept British goods and documents? If I send him details of some cases will he circularise the shipping companies and forwarding agents in order to prevent further difficulties?

I have said that I will certainly look into any details which my hon. Friend sends me.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what the average increase in the price of imported oak, beech and other hardwoods has been since January last; and what part of this increase has been due to devaluation.

Though it is hard to determine an average price movement for such a varied commodity as hardwood, particularly since it is now privately imported, I would estimate that an overall rise of some 10–15 per cent. has taken place since January. The part of this increase which is due to devaluation varies with different supplying countries and different types of wood, and cannot reliably be estimated.

Having returned the purchase of hardwood to the timber trade, does my right hon. Friend think that there is anything he can do now to curb the increases which are coming into effect?

Not that I am aware of. I considered the maintenance of price control after reversion to private trade. I was satisfied that for a commodity so widely varying in type and specification, it would not be possible to operate price control with private trade.

Will the right hon. Gentleman say whether devaluation took place in January last or in October, within the terms of the Question?

I thought the hon. Gentleman would know that it took place in neither of those months, but on 18th September last. I am sure that he is equally well aware that there have been some considerable price increases in soft currency markets, some of which did not make themselves apparent in either September or January.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the timber trade claim that the increases are solely due to devaluation.

Members of the timber trade, like members of any other trade, are glad of any alibi to explain any particular increases in price.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the present drop in retail sales in the furniture trade, he is yet able to announce his plans for an extension of the present hire purchase arrangements.

The retail trade returns show that sales of furniture are still increasing. In the first five months of this year they were about 12½ per cent. higher than in the corresponding period of 1949. As regards hire purchase transactions, I am satisfied that it would not be desirable to modify the present requirements as to a minimum deposit and a maximum period of repayment.

Does my right hon. Friend appreciate that the present hire purchase Order works to the disadvantage of the small man in comparison with the bigger firms with greater financial resources?

I am satisfied that there is no need for any general change in the Order, but I have been recently inquiring into the relative position of small firms and some of the very large firms which appear to be in a more favourable position. It is too early to say what will be the result of that investigation.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what quantities of artificial flowers are being imported from Czechoslovakia.

The United Kingdom have agreed to issue licences, on application, for the import of £40,000 of artificial flowers and components from Czechoslovakia in the year 1950–51.

Is the Minister aware that these imported flowers are being sold at cut prices that may very well result in firms in this country having to close, which will result in unemployment? Will the right hon. Gentleman look into the question of raising the import duty from 25 per cent. to a higher figure?

If there is evidence on the subject of unfair practice, I would be willing to look into the question of cutting the importation out altogether. If the price is unduly low compared with our own prices, we would certainly be prepared to consider the possibility of altering the tariff rate.

In view of the unnecessary character of these imports would the right hon. Gentleman be willing to tell the Czechs: "No flowers, by request"?

The hon. Gentleman will be aware that as long as any trade continues between the two countries it is necessary to have a small import of some of the traditional items which have entered into our trade in the past. The amount of flowers coming into this country is only a small proportion of what it was before the war.

Is not the reply of my right hon. Friend an invitation to the Czechoslovak Government to increase the price of these flowers?

I would not care if the prices were increased so much that no flowers came into the country.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has considered the representations made to his Department by the Ulverston Urban District Council about the encouragement of light industry or other similar developments in the Furness area; and if he will make a statement.

My Department has received no representations from this council recently, but if they are made I shall be pleased to consider them. Since the war, in the Furness area one Government factory has been allocated to industry, five new factories and extensions have been completed, four more are under construction and others have been approved. In addition, a number of firms new to the area have acquired existing premises. These developments, taken together, which should ultimately give employment to about 3,000 workers, are already employing about 1,500.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that over the last five years representations, including deputations, have been made to his predecessor and to his Department? In any amelioration of the anxieties of Barrow-in-Furness will the right hon. Gentleman take into account the fact that a great many people who live in Ulverston also work in Barrow-in-Furness?

Yes, Sir. As the hon. Gentleman knows, I myself visited the Ulverston Council some little time ago. I am glad that as a result of the representations, and of the action taken by the Government, a considerable fall has taken place in unemployment in the area during the last three years and that unemployment is now very considerably lower than it was before the war.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the reason for the delay in making the first distribution of German enemy property; and when he expects this distribution to take place.

I have not yet received the report of the advisory committee which was appointed to consider questions about claims to be admitted in the distribution of German enemy property and I could not at this moment say when distribution will begin.

Will the right hon. Gentleman at least say that he adheres to the view expressed some time ago by a Government spokesman in another place, that when the first distribution takes place, it will be at the rate of 2s. 6d. in the pound?

I should like to see the report from the advisory committee before I say anything further about distribution. There is, of course, no change in Government policy about the rate of distribution.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in view of the deteriorating international situation, he proposes to make any special efforts to improve recruitment for the Civil Defence services.

I would refer the hon. Member to the statement I made in the House on 24th July.

Is there likely to be a spectacular increase in recruiting as a result of the international situation? Will the right hon. Gentleman watch the situation during the next few weeks?

Yes, Sir, I shall watch the course of recruiting and take such steps as are necessary.

Will the right hon. Gentleman take steps to implement some of the constructive suggestions made during the Debate on Civil Defence the other night? How soon does he propose to do anything about it?

I am considering all the suggestions that were made to me. Some I have decided to adopt and others I do not think are practicable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in view of the fact that certain representative industrial organisations were approached by him some two years ago to appoint representatives who could be called into consultation on matters relating to civil defence in industry, he will say what steps are now being taken to implement the invitations then issued and when consultations on the relevant matters may be expected to commence.

I hope that discussions between the Civil Defence Joint Planning Staff and representatives of industrial and commercial organisations will begin in September.

Is the Minister aware that many firms are willing and anxious to cooperate with the Government on Civil Defence and are awaiting guidance—for example, on the subject of recruitment and on the question as to whether they ought to be organising separate Civil Defence units within their factories?

I made a statement some weeks ago in which I suggested that, while the matter was still in abeyance, employees of such firms would be well advised to join the local Civil Defence organisation, and that if an organisation for their particular place of employment was subsequently started they would be free to join that.

Does the answer of the Minister mean that no discussions have yet taken place on shelters?

There have been some informal discussions.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman think that, in view of the international situation, these discussions should be brought forward to an earlier date?

No, I do not think that that would be possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff are engaged full-time in the organisation of Civil Defence in the county of Hampshire.

I understand that in the geographical county eight full-time appointments of Civil Defence officer and instructor have been made.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that local authorities are finding great difficulty in dealing with the large number of circulars which are at present coming to them, and will he look into this matter and see whether he can assist them further?

I do not think that that has very much to do with this Question.