asked the President of the Board of Trade how many bankruptcies occurred in England and Wales in 1952; and how this compares with 1950.

Before the Minister answers Question No. 1, I feel sure that the House will continue the indulgence granted to him on the last occasion of remaining standing between the Questions addressed to him.

I am much obliged, Sir.

It was agreed last week that the right hon. Gentleman should be permitted to stand while replying to Questions. Could he not sit down and reply to the Questions while seated? I suggest that that would be more sensible, Sir.

I am obliged to the right hon. Gentleman, but I prefer to stand.

The answer to Question No. 1 is as follows: In 1952 there were 2,043 bankruptcies, and in 1950, 1,823.

Is it not clear from these figures that, under Tory rule, "The Right Road for Britain" is, in fact, Carey Street?

I think that deduction would be a very dangerous one for the hon. and gallant Gentleman to draw, because there was a very substantial increase in the number of bankruptcies under the last Government.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the policy of the Government with regard to the continued increase in total unemployment in Lancashire.

While I know, of course, and regret that there has been some increase in the number of people wholly unemployed in Lancashire since mid 1952, I am glad to say that unemployment as a whole in Lancashire began to decrease from that time. The number of people out of work—both wholly unemployed and temporarily stopped— was 76,000 in January, 1953, compared with 136,000 in May, 1952. We shall continue to take measures, including those which I announced on 29th October, 1952, to deal with the increase in the number of those wholly unemployed.

When he gives the figures in future, will the right hon. Gentleman compare the figures of employment when this Government came into office, with those before they had mucked up the textile industry and caused such a frightful disaster? Will he also bear in mind that the really tragic figure, the important figure, is the number of those who have been wholly unemployed for more than six weeks? That is the figure which is constantly and steadily growing.

If the hon. Gentleman, and those of his hon. Friends who are closely concerned with that industry, will study the history of the last year in Lancashire he will agree that forces far wider than mere party political forces are responsible.

Would my right hon. Friend confirm that it was not this Government that mucked up the Lancashire textile industry? A United Nations report for the 12 months before the last Government went out of office said that the textile industry of the whole world was suffering and that it was a world problem and nothing to do with this or the previous Government.

It is true to say, as hon. Gentlemen know, that the recession in textiles was world-wide in its incidence, and, indeed, started before this Government took office.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what additional industries he is preparing to refer for the consideration of the Monopolies Commission; and whether he will refer the textile engineering industry for that consideration.

No, Sir. I will bear in mind the suggestion in the second part of the Question.

I am obliged for that answer, but would the Minister bear in mind that in Oldham and the adjoining area there is very substantial unemployment among textile machine makers, and that we are getting report after report saying that the textile industry is badly equipped and cannot maintain efficiency for lack of machines? This is not a world problem; it is a problem for the Government.

As I told the hon. Gentleman, I am not in a position to give a definite list of industries which are to be referred, but this, with other industries, is a matter for consideration.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that many shopkeepers impose conditions on the sale of nylon stockings and that wholesalers impose similar conditions on shopkeepers; and if he will take powers to regulate these conditions of sale.

I am aware that there are such practices, but they are not necessarily undesirable. In so far as they are, I am satisfied of the adequacy of the existing powers in Section 9 of the Goods and Services (Price Control) Act, 1941 which, subject to specified exceptions, make it an offence for a trader to impose conditions on the sale of price controlled goods.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that I feel very disappointed that in his opening remark he gave his blessing to this practice? Does he understand that the practice is to offer two pairs of cheap rayon stockings with one pair of nylons, and would he use his influence to try to stop that practice?

I hope that the hon. Lady has not misunderstood me. What I meant was that it may be that a favour is sometimes shown to a regular customer in a shop; but where a trader tries to enforce, as a condition of sale, that the purchaser shall buy a fur coat or some other article as well, that is an offence and I think that it can be dealt with.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that it is a constant practice, in connection with mail order advertisements, to offer nylons on condition that rayons are taken?

If the hon. Lady will call attention to any particular case I shall be pleased to look into it.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, as the prices for Coronation week in some London hotels have risen by from 100 per cent. to 150 per cent., he will now introduce legislation to ensure that prices are exhibited outside hotels.

No, Sir. I do not consider that such legislation is desirable, or that it would serve any useful purpose.

there anything that the right hon. Gentleman is prepared to do? Does he remember that some months ago he said that he was not out of sympathy with the objective I was pursuing? Is he aware that many of the hotels have put up their prices to a large extent, and would not it be a good idea if we knew what those increases were?

I do not think that special legislation, introduced and rushed through the House of Commons now, to compel hotels in London to exhibit the prices to be charged for Coronation week, bearing in mind that they have already let most of the accommodation, would serve any useful purpose.

Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind, when considering this matter, the prices charged to visitors in New York and other cities?

I do not think that the prices charged in New York are a matter for the Minister.

On a point of order. Once again may I ask you, Sir, whether, if we are to discuss hotels run by private enterprise, provision cannot be made for us to discuss hotels which are owned by nationalised industries? Is not it very unfair that one section of the community should be subjected to question and not the other section?

There is nothing in this Question about hotels owned by nationalised industries, so the point does not arise here.

May I ask a supplementary question?

I have answered the hon. Lady's point of order.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to prevent the furniture shops being stocked with shoddy goods pending the announcement of standards by the Furniture Development Council.

I would refer the hon. Member to what my hon. and learned Friend the Parliamentary Secretary said during the debate on the D Scheme for furniture on 21st January on the question of quality standards and the progress which had been made by the British Standards Institution, in consultation with the industry, in producing British standards for furniture.

While I appreciate the statement that was made, it seems to me that there might be a very big time lag during which there might be a great deal of shoddy goods on the market. Would the right hon. Gentleman see that there is no time lag?

If the hon. Lady would study the speech made by my hon. and learned Friend on this occasion, she will find that that question was very fully dealt with. I do not accept the suggestion that furniture manufacturers are placing a lot of shoddy goods in the shops.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will introduce legislation making it compulsory for all furniture to be marked with the name and address of the manufacturers.

No, Sir.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the furniture trade unions are very much in favour of this, and could he not agree that the customer who buys furniture in the shop should have some redress if he is unfortunate enough to make a bad buy?

I have given some consideration to these proposals, and I have come to the conclusion that their adoption would be quite contrary to the general policy of getting voluntary arrangements for the marking of goods on quality standards.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the general position in the textile industry, with emphasis on the export trade.

I am glad to say that by the end of 1952 production of textiles and clothing had increased by over 40 per cent. and exports by about 20 per cent., from the levels to which they had dropped during the recession, although exports to many markets are still hampered by import restrictions. While all of us in this House will welcome this recovery, we should all agree that it is vitally important that all sections of the textile industries should continue to make the greatest possible efforts to increase their competitive power. With such efforts, I am confident that, in spite of growing competition from other countries, we can continue to look to our textile industries for a very substantial contribution to the export trade.

While thanking my right hon. Friend for his reply and expressing the view that no doubt everybody will be glad to hear of the improvement, may I ask him if he knows that many sections of the industry are still finding it extremely difficult to export because of the high rate of Purchase Tax on the home market, where sales are essential if we are to export well? Would he pass on that information to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and see what can be done about it?

I think that that raises rather a separate question from that on the Order Paper.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the numbers now employed on the North-West Industrial Estates Company's factory estate at Huyton; and the numbers he expects will be employed when the factories, now in course of development there, are in full production.

Two hundred and twenty persons are now employed in factories on the North-Western Industrial Estate Company's Factory Estate at Huyton; and according to the estimates made by the firms when the factories were allocated this number is expected to increase to between 500 and 600.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the percentage by which the volume of exports in the third and fourth quarters of 1952 fell below the figures for the corresponding quarters of 1951.

The volume of United Kingdom exports was, in the third quarter of 1952, 14 per cent. less and, in the fourth quarter, 7 per cent. less than in the corresponding quarters of 1951.

In view of those very grave figures, would the right hon. Gentleman tell the House when he expects that this Government will be able to get the volume of exports back to what we achieved in 1951?

There is another factor which I am sure the right hon Gentleman would bear in mind, namely. that our deficits on visible trade were £373 million and £273 million respectively in the third and fourth quarters of 1951, and in the corresponding periods of 1952 they had dropped to £183 million and £134 million.

Does the right hon. Gentleman really seek to correct these deficits simply by restricting imports and not by increasing exports?

The right hon. Gentleman should not draw that deduction from my answer; but I think it is right that the full picture of our visible trade position should be borne in mind in this connection.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that if imports and exports were both cut to nil the deficit would also fall to nil?

I am also aware that if our visible trade position had continued to deteriorate at the same rate, we should be in a very unfortunate position today.

Is it not obvious from Questions by right hon. and hon. Gentlemen opposite that they fail to realise that the sellers' market has ended and that manufacturers can make goods only against order and not on speculation?

asked the President of the Board of Trade the percentage of total United Kingdom exports which went to Commonwealth countries in the second half of 1951 and the second half of 1952, respectively.

Fifty-four per cent. and 48 per cent. respectively.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that these figures also represent a most deplorable showing, and in view of the increase in Commonwealth exports ever since the war until last year will he say what are the prospects now of increased exports to the Commonwealth? Also, will he say whether he thinks that the action of Australian secondary goods manufacturers in digging themselves in behind the import barriers will permanently withhold the possibility of us increasing our Commonwealth exports?

The Question asked me simply for the percentage, which I have given. It is about the same as it was in the first half of 1951.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will have the Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, industrial estate treated on the same basis as a Development Area.

No, Sir. The statutory benefits enjoyed by development areas only apply to areas scheduled under the Distribution of Industry Act, 1945, and the situation in Stoke-on-Trent does not warrant scheduling the area under this Act.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will in future discourage the building of new factories on the sites of old potteries in the Stokeon-Trent area, and encourage the building of new factories for the manufacture of pottery and ceramics on the Longton industrial estate or between the estate and the new Wedgwood factory.

An Industrial Development Certificate issued by the Board of Trade under the Town and Country Planning Act, 1947, is normally valid anywhere within a specified local authority area. The Board does not exercise control over the precise location of the factory within that area. That is a matter for the local planning authority.

Does the Minister agree that, in this area, the finest pottery in the world is produced, beautifully decorated, and that, in view of the great contribution which this is making to the economy of the country, has not the time arrived when the whole environment and lay-out of that area should be made more consistent with the products which it produces?

I agree, at any rate, that this is the area in which the finest pottery in the world is produced.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the finest pottery is produced at Barnstaple?

Is my right hon. Friend aware that both hon. Members are wrong, and that the finest pottery is produced at Poole?

My hon. and gallant Friends will recognise the difficulty in which they have placed me.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the total expenditure on new pottery factories since 1945 to the latest date: and the amount spent on modernisation or extension of existing factories.

The total value of building licences granted on Board of Trade sponsorship in the years 1946–52 was £426,650 for new domestic pottery factories, and £3,540,173 for modernisation and extension of existing domestic pottery factories.

In view of this enormous expenditure, and of the very fine work which has been done by the more progressive managements, would not the Minister agree that the Board of Trade should adopt a policy of encouraging buildings that are more consistent with the modernisation of the industry?

Within the limits of the investment programme, we do what we can to assist those who can make a contribution to our export prospects.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the extent to which the structural strength of wool cloths is debased by the inclusion of large percentages of remanufactured shoddy; and whether he will introduce legislation to ensure that the presence of shoddy shall be made notifiable to the public, in view of the increasing use of remanufactured fibres in the wool industry, to the detriment of the consumer.

Both recovered and virgin wools vary greatly in quality, and I cannot accept the implication in the Question that the inclusion of the former in wool cloth necessarily debases its structural strength.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the value of shoddy consumed in the United Kingdom in 1947 was £49 million, whereas in 1952 it went up to £80 million? Does he not consider that the consumer should be protected? Is it not true that in the United States a labelling scheme has been going on for 10 years, and would he not recommend it here?

The hon. Lady will realise that the term "shoddy" covers a very wide range of recovered wool and that even the Australians, who have a great interest in preserving the sales of raw wool, themselves have had to abandon as quite unworkable an attempt to distinguish between goods made of virgin wool and goods made of recovered wool.

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that the Americans have managed to distinguish between them, and that the buying public are very well aware of what is shoddy wool?

I would recommend the hon. Lady to get in touch with her hon. Friends from Yorkshire on the subject.

Is the Minister aware that if remanufactured wool was not processed, Batley, Dewsbury and Morley would be completely out of work?

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the import of substantial quantities of nickel from Japan without restriction, he will now relax the present prohibition of its use by cutlery manufacturers.

I am afraid that owing to the needs of the re-armament programme we cannot yet relax the restrictions on the use of stainless nickel steel for cutlery. The use of nickel silver for cutlery is, of course, already permitted except for penknives. I am prepared to consider individual cases involving some special degree of hardship in relation to the use of nickel silver.

While thanking the Minister for his promise to look into individual cases, may I ask him if he is aware that, in Sheffield, there are great quantities of nickel which cannot be used because the firms owning the nickel are prohibited from putting it into their manufactures, which constitutes a handicap to them in their export efforts, because they have to run two or three lines of penknife production? Is he aware that five lb. of pure nickel would make 30 gross of small shields for pocket knives, and will he not have another look at the matter to see whether, along with copper and zinc, nickel cannot be made freely available?

I will keep this matter under examination, but the hon. Gentleman will realise that there are arrangements for controlling the end use of nickel which are arrived at in agreement with other Powers in O.E.E.C.

Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that the amount of nickel for pocket knives, which we are discussing, is very small, and that I do not think it will upset the national interest if the Minister makes this concession?

My hon. Friend will realise that pocket knives are on the common list under control arrangements with the O.E.E.C. countries. Perhaps he will have a word with me later on the matter.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the fact that the use of nickel is unrestricted as regards the spoon and fork trade, he will allow the use of nickel in the pocket knife trade for the home market.

I am afraid that it is not yet possible to allow the unrestricted use of nickel silver for pocket knives. I am, however, prepared to consider individual cases involving some special degree of hardship.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that we have discussed the question of the export market, and that this refers to the home market? Cannot he find a definition which will make a distinction between O.E.E.C. exports and the home market, because, if he can do so, I can assure him that it will be very greatly welcomed in Sheffield?

The same difficuIty arises about controlling the end use of nickel silver, but I said that I would look into special cases brought to my notice. If my hon. Friend wishes to enter into the discussion of the general question with me, perhaps he will come to see me.

I am much obliged to my right hon. Friend, but does he appreciate that special cases will not solve the problem of the home market as a whole?

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has any statement to make on the Government's policy in relation to the entry of Japan into the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.

As my hon. Friend knows, our position was made clear at the meeting of the Contracting Parties to the General Agreement last autumn. It was there decided, with our approval and that of the other Commonwealth Governments, with whom we have kept in close consultation, that detailed examination should be made of "the conditions and timing under which the Japanese application should be pursued." An Inter-Sessional Committee of the Contracting Parties is now meeting to consider this matter, and we must wait to see what conditions can be arranged to safeguard our industries and Commonwealth trade against a revival of disruptive competition.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what assistance was given under the Development of Industry Act to the firm that closed down in the Highland Development Area.

The firm, which has since re-opened in larger premises just outside the Development Area, did not seek any help under the Distribution of Industry Act.

As this matter is of such importance to the success of this great Development Area, can the Minister say whether his Department has made any effort at all to nurture this delicate plant and help it over the stile?

If I may follow my hon. Friend into his mixed metaphors, I hope that he will not ask for help for this particular plant over this particular stile. In fact, the firm, which is situated just outside the Development Area, is making, in this case, a contribution to employment in the Highlands.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many of his Department's officials are directly concerned with the establishment of factories in the Development Areas and what is his policy with regard to the encouragement of applications.

No officials are engaged exclusively on work relating to the establishment of factories in Development Areas; but 71 officials at headquarters, about 60 in regional offices whose regions include Development Areas, and a number in other regions are engaged on the administration of distribution of industry policy, which includes such work.

As regards the second part of the Question, I shall continue to use all suitable opportunities to encourage industrialists to establish factories in Development Areas.

Is my right hon. Friend satisfied that any encouragement has been given by the Department to this problem? Is it not a fact that his officials are simply waiting for people to apply, and that they do not go out and try to induce firms to come into the Development Area?

I can tell my hon. Friend, who, I know, feels deeply about this and has done a great deal himself in this matter. that we do our best, by all the means open to us, to encourage industrialists to come to these areas; but, if my hon. Friend has any specific cases to which he would like to call my attention, I should be very happy to hear about them.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that a number of Government Departments are not giving any priority to firms in Development Areas? I refer specifically to the Ministry of Food. When one approaches them, they say that they have a national project, whether it is the rationing of sweets or the allocation of sugar, and will not give any particular priority to any firm in a Development Area. Will the Minister look into that, and see that they do give priority?

Perhaps the hon. Gentleman will put that question down to the Minister concerned.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that unemployment is now developing in some parts of the Highlands at an alarming rate, and would he consider the fact that, in spite of all the inducements of Government Departments, no great number of firms have applied to start businesses in the Highlands? Would not the Government consider the proposal, made some time ago, that they should try to get some Government Departments which are opening up concerns to take them into the Highlands; and, failing this, that the Government should collaborate with the county councils, in getting industries started there, by granting authorisations?

I am willing to consider any suggestion put forward either on behalf of a Government Department, a local authority or a private business, which will bring employment into this area, and if the right hon. Gentleman has any specific cases in mind I am quite sure that we shall be very happy to consider them.

asked the President of the Board of Trade where the three new industries are located in the 36 Highland parishes scheduled as a Development Area; the total number of people employed in them; and who built the three factories.

Two of the firms are at Inverness and one is at Alcaig. While I regret that I could not properly give figures of the numbers employed, since all three firms are small concerns and such figures would in effect disclose information about the individual firms, I can say that the number of people employed is very small. In each case the premises were built or adapted by the company concerned.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the value of aircraft spares and aviation materials imported during 1952; and how this figure was made up in detail.

Imports of aircraft parts during 1952, excluding those imported under the Mutual Defence Assistance agreement with the United States, were valued at £10,932,000. The trade statistics do not record these parts in detail. I regret that no information is available about imports of aviation materials as such.

Can my right hon. Friend say how much of that £10 million-odd was spent in dollars, and can he also give the relevant figure for exports of British equipment to the United States? Will he bear in mind that the bulk of the £10 million was used by B.O.A.C., and does not he think it an extraordinary thing that one industry should consume that amount of dollars? Will he do everything possible to see that these figures are reduced at the earliest possible moment?

I cannot give the break-down between dollar and other imports without notice. Regarding the second part of my hon. and gallant Friend's question, my information is that a large part of the total imports of aircraft parts was imported by foreign airlines, which was not a charge on us, and that much of the rest was for specialised parts not available in this country for use in the manufacture of aircraft for export. If my hon. and gallant Friend has any other information. perhaps he will see me on it.

Yes, I will.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what action his Department is taking to encourage exports of Coronation souvenirs, particularly to hard currency areas.

The services of my Department are available to all exporters who are trying to develop sales of Coronation souvenirs in overseas markets. Inquiries from importers abroad for Coronation souvenirs have been circulated among interested exporters in this country. Her Majesty's commercial representatives in foreign countries and United Kingdom Trade Commissioners in the Commonwealth have been kept informed of the names of firms producing souvenirs which have been approved by the Coronation Souvenirs Committee of the Council of Industrial Design, so that they may answer inquiries on the spot. In the hard currency countries, in particular, buyers have been advised where they may obtain their requirements in this country.

asked the President of the Board of Trade for each of the years from 1945, the total number of companies that have gone into voluntary or compulsory liquidation.

With the hon. Member's permission, I will circulate the information in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Do not the figures show that there were more bankruptcies last year than at any time since 1945, and are we to understand, therefore, that the only freedom which this Government have given to the people is the freedom to go bankrupt?

The figures do not really show that. They show that the number of compulsory liquidations last year were rather fewer than in 1950. I do not think that the deductions which are sought to be drawn from the number of bankruptcies are either very sound or, for the hon. Gentleman, very safe, because the record under the previous Government—if this basis of argument is used, which I think is false anyway—would be shown to be worse.

Do the figures include the voluntary liquidation of the Labour Government in 1951?

How can the right hon. Gentleman reconcile his answer to my supplementary with the figures he gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Dartford (Mr. Dodds) in his answer to Question No. 1?

The Question asked by the hon. Member for Dartford (Mr. Dodds) related to bankruptcies, whereas these are voluntary liquidations of companies.

Would my right hon. Friend confirm that while the ultimate sanction of a private enterprise economy is the bankruptcy court, the ultimate sanction of Socialist collective economy is the hangman?

That goes a little wide of the Question.

Following is the information:

Year	Voluntary Liquidations	Compulsory Liquidations
1945	1,063	57
1946	1,751	78
1947	2,330	161
1948	2,470	343
1949	2,696	413
1950	2,613	464
1951	2,348	407
1952	2,669	436

asked the President of the Board of Trade the value of whisky exported to the United States of America in 1952.

The value of our exports of whisky to the United States in 1952 was £18,481,000

Can my right hon. Friend say, without notice, what number of gallons that represents?

Yes. 6,301,000 proof gallons.

Has the right hon. Gentleman any information as to the amount of whisky exported to other dollar paying countries?

This Question related only to exports to the United States. If the hon. Gentleman wants information about exports to other countries, perhaps he will put down a Question.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has any further statement to make regarding a reference of the oil industry to the Monopolies Commission.

No, Sir.

Does that mean that the right hon. Gentleman has not yet completed his consideration, or that he has decided not to refer the matter?

No, Sir. The answer which was given before on this was that the question of this reference would be borne in mind in considering future matters for reference.

Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that this industry has now extended its monopolistic position from the oilfields to the filling pumps, and that, important as are some of the other matters referred to the Commission, they are chicken feed compared with this gigantic oil monopoly? Will not he therefore reconsider the matter?

Without prejudging the issue at all, I would point out that I have been questioned in some cases about the excessive competition of the petrol companies and the amount of individual advertising that is going on. That was the accusation made last week.

Has the right hon. Gentleman's attention been drawn to the report of the Comptroller and AuditorGeneral about the similarity in the prices charged for petrol used by the Forces?

That would come up for consideration if the matter were referred.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why he refuses to grant import licences for semi-manufactured goods from Western Germany which cannot be produced in this country but which can be processed here for export and home use, thus earning and saving foreign currency, while he permits imports without restriction from Western Germany of fully manufactured goods which can be produced in this country and whose manufacture here would avert unemployment.

I understand that the semi-manufactured goods which the hon. Member has in mind are agatine rings for fishing rods and that the manufactured goods are cutlery. Agatine rings from Western Germany are admissible under the quota for sports goods and parts. Cutlery from Western Germany is admissible under a similar quota for cutlery. Import licences under both of these quotas are issued to importers on the basis of their past trade.

I am re-examining the licence application for fishing rod rings, which the hon. Member has mentioned to me, in the light of the possibilities of re-export, and I shall write to him about it as soon as I can.

May I point out to the Minister that though I am grateful to him for looking at this individual case, it is only one example of many brought to my notice of instances where his Department will not issue licences unless the importer has imported that commodity in the past? Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that if a manufacturer wants to import some material for experimental purposes in order to try and develop a trade which does not already exist, he gets a blank refusal and no co-operation from the Board of Trade? Will not the right hon. Gentleman insist that his officers carry out the precepts which he so ably lays down in his public utterances on the subject?

Import licences, of course, are generally issued on the basis of past trade, which is the main basis on which one would have to issue them. At the same time, the Board of Trade have always been prepared to look favourably at any suggestions which might assist exports, and I am perfectly willing to look at the case put forward by the hon. Gentleman.

May I point out to my right hon. Friend that it will give great satisfaction if lie will look at this matter: and, further, that these controls were put on by a Socialist Government in the past and that nothing was done at that time to remedy the position?

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the partial slackening of the Australian import embargo: and the estimated value to the Lancashire textile industry during the present year of these measures.

I have seen Press reports about forthcoming relaxations in the Australian import restrictions, but I know of no announcement by the Commonwealth Government to that effect. The second part of the Ouestion. accordingly, does not arise.

Does the right hon. Gentleman not agree that Lancashire was one of the chief victims of the Australian restrictions? While I appreciate the need for being tolerant and showing great patience with our Australian friends, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman what action he is taking to unfreeze the vast amount of merchandise now stored in warehouses and awaiting shipment to Australia?

The hon. Member will remember that this question was dealt with fairly specifically in the communique after the Commonwealth Conference arid also in the speech of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the debate on that subject. In view of that, and of Press reports of a forthcoming announcement by the Australian Government, I do not think that I can really add anything to my answer.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the approximate average fall in the price of textiles since price controls were abolished.

No single price index for textiles as a whole is available but there has been a steady fall in prices since the summer of 1951. Latest available figures for clothing show that retail prices have fallen by about 4½ per cent. since the price control of Utility textiles was ended in March, 1952. Manufacturers' prices of clothing have fallen by about 9 per cent. since that date.

Since the consumer has been obtaining better value at cheaper prices since these controls were removed. would not my right hon. Friend look at other controls in the interest of the consumer to find out whether more cannot be taken off?

It is our policy to remove any control which we do not think necessary and in this field we have removed a number of controls with beneficial effect.

Will the right hon. Gentleman confirm that there has been a fall in the total volume of wages because of unemployment since price controls were removed?

This Question refers to the effect of the removal of price control on the consumer.

Does the right hon. Gentleman contribute this fall in prices to decontrol or to the seller's market, to which he referred just now, and the lower prices for raw materials?

As the right hon. Gentleman knows, the fall in prices is due to a very large number of factors, but to have attempted to retain price control on a falling market would have been a very stupid policy to pursue.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that gross production in the cotton textile industry now stands at about 17 or 18 per cent. less than it was in October, 1951? Is he aware that that is the material figure by which the success of his policy should be judged?

I am fully aware of, and have not sought to disguise, the many difficulties which confront the textile industry, but this Question referred to whether consumers were now paying less for their purchases than they did before. They are paying less.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that since the price of wool has been decontrolled the price of crossbred wool has risen from 60d. to 200d. per lb. and is now back at 60d.? Is not that really the reason why this variation in price has taken place?

There has been a steady fall in the prices of the general range of textiles since price controls were removed. As has been pointed out, many factors were involved.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in accordance with his pledge of 6th May, 1952, he has now reviewed the probable effect of higher Entertainments Duty on cricket during the coming season; and whether he can now announce that the higher duty will not be imposed for the 1953 season.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Southampton, Test (Dr. King) on 29th January.

Why is the hon. Gentleman so unhelpful? Is he not aware that Warwickshire, whose case is typical of other counties, suffered a fall of gate receipts from £20,000 to £12,000 even on the reduced rate of tax? Since the Chancellor has adjusted subsidies and Purchase Tax between Budgets why cannot he make a simple administrative decision in this case before the Budget?

Those are just the kind of factors which, as it was pointed out in my answer, will be considered.

May I ask for your ruling, Mr. Speaker, in view of the fact that a Question similar to Question No. 31. which has just been answered was submitted by me to the Table this week and was refused on the ground that it had been answered previously?

I shall have to look at the Questions. They may have looked similar, but there may have been some distinction.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue has been raised by the abolition, last year, of the duty-free import of machinery not procurable in the United Kingdom.

An exact estimate is not possible, but I can say that the amount is very small.

Will my hon. Friend not consider allowing this machinery to come in free of duty where the products are largely for the export trade, because by taxing machinery as it comes in his right hon. Friend is putting up the cost of our exports?

I am sure that my hon. Friend would not expect me to anticipate my right hon. Friend's Budget statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give an estimate of the annual cost of paying interest to holders of post-war credits at the rate of interest paid on Post Office savings.

The gross cost to the Exchequer of paying interest at 2½ per cent. on the total amount of postwar credits outstanding would be about £14,500,000 in 1953–54 and would diminish thereafter by about £400,000 per annum while post-war credits continue to be repaid at the current rate.

In view of that figure of an annual cost of £14,500,000, which is a relatively small figure. and in face of the fact that in last year's Budget the Chancellor increased interest payments to the big moneylending firms to the tune of £100 million, in the next Budget would he not spend £14,500,000 for the benefit of people whose money he has kept for 10 years?

While I shall not be tempted into anticipation of any Budget statement, I must point out that the sum of £14,500,000 as an additional Exchequer charge is not wholly negligible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that there is dissatisfaction in the North-East of Scotland caused by the imposition of Purchase Tax and import tax on gift parcels sent from overseas to persons in North-East Scotland; if he will define clearly the authority for and principle on which such impositions are made; and if he will take steps to discriminate between such gift parcels and ordinary purchases from abroad.

The law makes no distinction between imported gifts and other imported goods. The hon. and learned Member is, however, probably aware of the general concession relating to gift food parcels and to the concession covering small value gifts sent home by members of the Forces serving abroad. It would not be practicable to exempt gift parcels generally, since these cannot be easily distinguished from other parcels.

Is the Minister aware that that answer is ambiguous and not understandable? Will he not realise that gifts are not purchases, and distinguish between gifts and purchases and not charge Purchase Tax on things which are not purchases?

I think that when the hon. and learned Member reads my answer in HANSARD he will have remarkably little difficulty in construing it. The practical difficulty, of course, is that it is not possible at the ports to say whether a particular parcel is a gift or has been ordered from abroad.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will exempt from Customs duty and Purchase Tax gift parcels up to a value of £3 or thereabouts sent from the United States of America and Canada by American and Canadian brides to their parents and relatives in this country.

No, Sir. It would be neither equitable nor practicable to discriminate in favour of a particular class of gift on the basis of the special relationship between donor and recipient. Nor would it be fair to single out gifts from the North American continent for specially favourable treatment.

Would the Minister say why he considers it impracticable and unreasonable? Does he not think that elderly parents and people of that kind should have the right to receive gift parcels from their relatives? Is he not aware that in Canada and America there are concessions of this nature? How does he expect pensioners to be able to pay duty on these parcels? How does he know on which parcels Customs duties are being paid? Does he not think that it is better to have a clear-cut issue on this matter?

The object of the present ruling is to have a clear-cut issue. In reply to the first part of the hon. Member's question, certain parcels can be received tax free, they being the ones which I have already described in answer to the hon. and learned Member for Aberdeen, North (Mr. Hector Hughes).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in his next Financial Statement, he will show the Income Tax position of a man and wife both earning, and comparable tables for a man and wife both earning, with children.

The total tax payable by a married couple, both of whom are earning, may vary according to the proportion each contributes to the joint income, and the tables suggested would, therefore, have to show, for each figure of joint income, a number of different figures of tax depending on the share earned by each spouse. Such tables would be too cumbersome for inclusion in the Financial Statement.

As a large number of married women get a personal allowance which is denied to other married women, would it not be fair to let the country know about this valuable concession? Does not my hon. Friend's answer mean that it would not be convenient to let the country know the value of these concessions?

It does not seem to me that there is any difficulty in the people concerned ascertaining the precise degree of the concession to which they are entitled. What my hon. Friend asked me was whether these figures could be given in the financial statement, and the answer is that as they vary in almost every case in accordance with the proportion earned by the husband or by the wife, it would he not feasible to produce something which looked rather like the Encyclopædia Britannica.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the fact that if imports are restricted exports are correspondingly restricted, he will now remove restrictions on imports.

There is, no doubt, a connection between restrictions on imports and restrictions on exports. While it is our objective to work steadily towards removing import restrictions, we cannot at this stage afford any significant relaxation in imports.

Will my hon. Friend tell the Chancellor of the Exchequer that if he breaks the law of supply and demand, that law will break him and the people of Britain?

I will certainly convey my hon. Friend's warning to my right hon. Friend.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in view of his undertaking to do everything possible to maintain and improve the capacity of British industry, he will, in order to revive initiative, consider, when framing his Budget proposals, the reduction of Government expenditure, which will enable him to reduce Income Tax by 2s. in the £

I have noted my hon. Friend's suggestion. I cannot, of course, anticipate my right hon. Friend's Budget statement.

Is my hon. Friend aware that penal taxation and the comprehensive Welfare State are killing initiative and ruining character? Is he also aware that the comprehensive Welfare State, instead of proving to be a lifebuoy, is proving to be a millstone round the neck of the country?

Those are large issues which cannot be profitably discussed by way of question and answer

Does the hon. Gentleman think that the Government's recent cuts in the grant for adult education is a good example of the policy of indiscriminate economy?

I do not think that that arises out of this Question.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to implement the declared policy of curbing inflation, especially with regard to Government expenditure, and the continued demand for increased wages and salaries; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend hopes to make a statement on these and other matters very soon after Easter.

Is my hon. Friend not aware that the progressive decline in the purchasing power of the £, as reported last Friday, is due to the fact that six years of Socialist Government ruined our credit, and that unless he acts quickly and courageously wages and so-called benefits will be paid in pieces of paper which cannot be eaten or worn and the purchasing power of which is declining?

I have to answer Questions on a good many matters in this House, but I do not think that six years of Socialist Government is one of them.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether, in view of the fact that hammers, screwdrivers and similar tools are free of tax, he will also relieve scissors under 8 inches and bent shank scissors and tailors' scissors, irrespective of size

(2) whether, in view of the fact that there is no Purchase Tax on cups, saucers, plates and dishes, he will release the cutlery trade from Purchase Tax on knives, forks and spoons.

I have noted my hon. Friend's suggestions, but he will not expect me to anticipate my right hon. Friend's Budget statement.

Would my hon. Friend convey to his right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer the feeling of injustice in the cutlery trade in Sheffield because of these anomalies? Does he not realise that the removal of these anomalies will help production in the cutlery trade? If he will convey those remarks to his right hon. Friend we in Sheffield will be obliged

I will gladly convey to my right hon. Friend what my hon. Friend has said.

While we appreciate that the Financial Secretary cannot anticipate the Budget statement, may I ask if he would receive a deputation from the manufacturers of Sheffield to state the case, so that he can have all the information available before the Budget statement is framed? Would he ask his right hon. Friend to consider that request?

My right hon. Friend and I receive a substantial number of deputations, and if an application is made in the normal way we shall do our best to fit it in.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of unemployment in the cutlery and silverware industries, the harmful effect on design and production and consequential hindrance to exports and its uneven incidence and many anomalies, particulars of which have been sent to him, he will immediately reduce the Purchase Tax on cutlery, spoons and forks, and table hollow-ware.

No, Sir, but my right hon. Friend will bear these considerations in mind when he is preparing his Budget proposals.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will allow all bona fide gifts by wholesale and retail traders, in answer to the Flood Appeal, and other contributions, to be regarded as a legitimate expense from an Income Tax point of view.

I have nothing to add to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave to the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Colne Valley (Mr. Glenvil Hall) on 10th February.

Does the Minister not think that it is disgraceful to tax the charitable contributions of benevolent people who wish to help the flood victims in their distress?

I think the hon. Gentleman has misapprehended the position. Nobody taxes the relief given to the flood victims. All that this ruling means is that people will not be able to contribute to the flood victims and then largely reimburse themselves at the cost of the Exchequer.