asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development if he will seek power to establish a private circuit where cars can be tested at speeds in excess of 150 miles per hour, in view of the importance to exports of good performances in competitions abroad.

No, Sir. My right hon. Friend does not think that there is a case for expenditure of public funds on facilities additional to those already available for testing cars designed for production.

Is it not important for the prestige of British cars, which are a very important export today, that some facilities should be provided so that the M.1 does not have to be used on future occasions? Cannot he say that some financial help could be given to the trade associations for this matter?

I should like to reassure my hon. Friend first of all about the M.1. As he knows, my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport has received assurances from the S.M.M.T. that the M.1 will not in future be used for speed tests. With regard to my original Answer, I ought to tell my hon. Friend that this conclusion has been reached after informal talks with the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders and the Motor Industry Research Association.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development (1) in making a grant under the Local Employment Act, what information he received as to the size of the ships that can be repaired in the new graving dock at Greenock, and the extent to which similar facilities are available elsewhere;

The Government have advanced £2·85 million towards the total cost estimated at £4·25 million. The dock was expected to accommodate ships of the largest sizes contemplated at the time when assistance was offered. I understand that there are larger repair docks in other countries but no other dry dock of comparable capacity in the United Kingdom.

Does my hon. Friend consider that these facilities are sufficiently widely known and does he anticipate that they will be used to capacity? Would he agree that this is an admirable example of the combination of private enterprise and Government policy?

I agree entirely with what my hon. Friend says. I am quite certain that when the dock is completed it will be well known to shippers and that they will make full use of it.

As to the last phrase in the hon. Lady's Question, will the Minister say why there has been such a delay in providing the dock facilities for Aberdeen harbour, long planned, and why he has not placed at the disposal of the Aberdeen Harbour Commissioners the additional finance which has been used as the excuse for the delay? Will he expedite the matter?

The hon. and learned Gentleman knows that the matter of the Harbour Commission in Aberdeen is not for us in the Board of Trade. If he will put down a Question to the appropriate Minister, I have no doubt that he will get a reply.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development what progress he has made in his conversations with the United States of America and other countries on the modification of the ban on the export of nuclear reactors for electricity generation to Eastern area countries.

Discussions have been initiated with our allies on this subject. These discussions must remain confidential, but the matter is complex and will inevitably take time to resolve.

Whatever the respective merits of our type of reactor for power generation and the American reactor, can my right hon. Friend assure me that we shall be on an equal footing with the Americans with regard to any possible orders from Eastern Europe?

Of course, the basis on which the Eastern Socialist countries discuss these matters is one for them to decide. If my hon. Friend is referring to the question of restriction by agreement between the allies, then, of course, I can give him. that assurance.

Is there any ban upon the export of these reactors to Fascist countries?

Under the Cocom arrangements these are, of course, controlled.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development how many architects in private practice in The Hartlepools have been awarded commissions for the development and design of factories built by Her Majesty's Government on the industrial estate in the constituency in view of the need to employ local labour and the fact that the unemployment rate is still 5 per cent.

One of the two firms of architects practising in The Hartlepools has been employed by the Industrial Estates Management Corporation for England on the construction of seven out of 15 Board of Trade factories completed or in hand there during the last five years.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development whether he will list the inducements offered to firms who wish to establish themselves in the development districts of north-east Scotland; and what assistance to these firms is offered by his own Department.

The inducements offered by my Department to development districts in north-east Scotland, in common with all development districts, consist of Government built factories, standard grants towards costs of building and plant and machinery, as well as loans and grants specifically related to the needs of the individual project. In addition, favourable tax allowances in respect of capital equipment are available under the Finance Act, 1963, and the Ministry of Labour can assist with the expenses of key workers transferred from elsewhere.

While thanking my right hon. Friend for that reply, for which we in the north-east of Scotland are truly grateful, may I ask him if he is aware that advance factories, which were part of the list he read out, in Fraserburgh and Peterhead have aroused considerable local feeling because of the way they have been handled from the start? Is he aware that even now one of them has not yet been built and that there is still doubt about the outcome of the one at Fraserburgh? Cannot this procedure be hurried up and clarified, not only for the sake of the people concerned in the area but also for the good which they have been designed to achieve?

I am prepared to look at the progress that is being made on these two advance factories. If my hon. Friend has any information which might be of assistance I hope that he will let me have it.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development what steps he has taken to implement the recommendation made in the Report by the Estimates Committee on the working of the Local Employment Act, 1960, that regular quarterly statistics should be produced showing the number of new jobs actually provided as a result of the operation of the Act.

A quarterly series of employment returns was instituted in March, 1963. Returns are obtained on a sampling basis from firms receiving financial assistance under the Local Employment Acts. I will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a summary of the results for the year 1960–61.

Are there no more recent figures? Is it not the case that when the reply was given to the Estimates Committee it was indicated that the firms had been asked in August, 1963, for information concerning their employment at 31st March and 30th June, 1963? Why cannot the right hon. Gentleman give the figures for which the Estimates Committee asked, even though the Government believe that they might be misleading or might not convey the whole picture? Since an all-party committee of this House asked for this information, should it not now be provided?

We are under no obligation to provide the information because we have given an explanation to the Committee about why we think it is not practicable to handle it. The reason why I am not providing later figures is that recruitment is still not completed for some of the projects since that date, even for some of those for which I am giving figures for 1960–61. I therefore do not propose to give figures to the House which, as the hon. Gentleman himself said, could be misleading.

Why does the right hon. Gentleman take it upon himself not to issue these figures because he thinks they might be misleading? This House has a right to the statistics and it is for hon. Members to decide whether or not they are misleading.

If the figures are not complete I feel that I am entirely justified in not giving them to the House. We are doing our utmost to meet the requests of hon. Members, even though that involves an immense amount of work for industry and the Department. Both of those things have to be taken into account. If recruitment is not completed the figures themselves are, to a large extent, valueless; and I do not believe that I would be justified in producing them.

On a point of order. In view of the very unsatisfactory nature of those answers I beg to give notice that I shall raise this matter on the Adjournment.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development how many new industries have been established in the North-East between April, 1963, and the latest convenient date; and how many workpeople they now employ.

Eighteen units new to the North-East have been set up since April, 1963, and are now employing about one quarter of their total potential employment of approximately 4,000.

Is the Secretary of State aware how alarming his statement is? Does he realise that it indicates that during the last two years there has been a net loss in the North-East of 29 firms, meaning approximately 2,700 fewer personnel, coupled with the migration of about 12,000 people from the North-East during the year? Will the right hon. Gentleman now accept that his policy, which has been talked about so much, is a complete failure? What does he hope to do in these closing days of this Government to try to redress the situation and bring some new life into the North-East?

We debated this last week. I do not for a moment accept what the hon. Gentleman says. Neither do I accept the basis for the figures on which he has been trying to work this out. If he will set down a Question asking for the specific information he wants I will do my best to give it to him. I am sure that the hon. Gentleman recognises that 37 additional firms have decided in this period to go to the North-East, although they are not yet in production. These 37 firms are of immense importance, so I entirely repudiate what the hon. Gentleman said.

Can my right hon. Friend say what expansions there have been, with Board of Trade assistance, in existing firms which are already in the area, and how many jobs that has created? Would not these figures give a much more balanced picture?

I am able to give a large number of figures if I am asked for them. I naturally do not have all these figures here, but the point which my hon. Friend makes is a very sound one.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the figures which I quoted are comparable with those which his right hon. Friend gave to me last Monday regarding the number of firms which have closed down and the total loss of employment in this area? Since those figures were given to me by his right hon. Friend, is it not obvious that they are comparable?

The hon. Gentleman is entirely leaving out of account the expansion and increase in existing firms in the area. These provide jobs in the North-East and it is not a sound basis of comparison just to quote the figures which the hon. Gentleman has obtained of firms which have left the area.

Does my right hon. Friend agree that this is not just a matter of figures but that the people of the North-East believe that this Government have done the right thing by them?

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development how many additional jobs he anticipates will be provided in Coatbridge and Airdrie during the second half of this year; and if he will give details.

There are now over 10,300 jobs in prospect in the North Lanarkshire Group of employment exchange areas. Over 3,400 of these are expected to arise in Coatbridge and Airdrie. I cannot estimate how many of them are likely to arise in the second part of this year.

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that while that news will be welcomed by the people of Coatbridge and Airdrie and of North Lanarkshire generally, so far the number of jobs provided has failed to meet the amount of unemployment which has arisen out of obsolescence in industry and changes in the techniques of manufacture and production? Has he seen the figures published recently by his right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour, showing that Coatbridge and Airdrie regretfully occupy first and third places in the unemployment league table of Lanarkshire? Is it not time that the Government tackled this unemployment problem in an effective fashion by creating an adequate number of jobs in the area?

I would agree with the hon. Gentleman that there is a problem. At the same time, I would ask him to recognise that there has been a considerable improvement. In June, 1963, 6·8 per cent. of the working population of North Lanarkshire was registered as unemployed. In June of this year the figure was 4·2 per cent., a considerable improvement.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development, if he will state separately for the years 1951 and 1963 the number of working operatives in the textile industry, the volume of production of cotton and man-made fibre cloth, the imports and exports of cotton and man-made fibre cloth, and the imports and exports of made-up cotton articles.

As the Answer includes a table of figures I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Is the Secretary of State aware that despite the inherent and, to some extent, continuing weaknesses of the textile industry, these figures will doubtless reflect the intense havoc and personal distress in the industry during the 12 years of this Government? Will he now, in reply to the industry's protestations to him, consider a policy to enable the textile industry to be viable in the future; or have we to wait for some electoral strategy to retain Lancashire seats on behalf of the Government?

Perhaps the hon. Gentleman should look at the figures for which he has asked before drawing conclusions. There is a Question on the Order Paper later about my conversations with the Cotton Board last night which deals with this point.

Does my right hon. Friend realise that we are the only great industrial textile country which does not reasonably protect its own people? Does he realise, for example, that America allows only 5½ per cent. imports and Germany 7½ per cent., whereas about 35 per cent. of home consumption is allowed in this country?

I think that my hon. Friend realises that my object is to give a stable basis to the textile industry. At the same time, we must take full account of the interests of the Commonwealth and developing countries which are selling textiles to this country.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development whether he will publish a White Paper on the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.

Yes, Sir. A White Paper is being published today.

I thank the Secretary of State for that reply, but does he not agree that it is a pity we have had to wait five weeks for this information on a very important matter? Does he not think that the House ought to have had an opportunity before the Summer Recess to study the attitude of Her Majesty's Government on this subject. In view of the fact that there are to be continuing discussions in the autumn, can he now announce what Her Majesty's Government's intentions are in regard to increased contributions to the Special Fund and the Expanded Programme of Technical Assistance?

I am as anxious as the hon. Lady is that there should be the fullest discussion of the achievements of the Geneva Conference and, in particular, of the work of the British delegation there. This White Paper contains the Final Act, together with the two speeches I made to the conference. The Final Act was given to us by the secretariat of the conference only on 5th July, and it consists of 200 pages in the White Paper. I hope, therefore, that the hon. Lady will agree that getting out such a very large White Paper containing the whole of these documents has been very speedy indeed. As regards the second part of the hon. Lady's supplementary question, I made an announcement in Geneva about the additional contributions. I cannot tell her at the moment how much they will be; that will be announced in the autumn.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development if he will recommend the appointment of a Royal Commission to investigate the British international trading position, including such matters as why Great Britain is not obtaining a greater share of the world market, how to increase the volume of British exports, the effects of trading associations on the imports and cost of raw materials and other related matters, with instructions to report as soon as possible.

No, Sir.

Does that reply mean that we have to accept a complacent attitude towards the serious export problems that face us? Does the Secretary of State agree with me that we have some of the most efficient, hard-working and fast-working people engaged in the export industries of any in the world, and is there not something fundamentally wrong when we continue to lose such a percentage of the world's export trade?

There is no complacency in the Government about exports, and the announcement I made recently about the new structure of the Export Council bears witness to that. What it means is that we do not consider that the appointment of a Royal Commission is the best way to improve our export position and encourage the greater initiative and enterprise we still want in industry. The hon. Gentleman may recall that the last Royal Commission to examine this subject was appointed in 1924 and reported in 1929, having in the meantime produced six volumes of evidence and failed to reach conclusions. We therefore feel that it is better to use the machinery that exists rather than to set up a Royal Commission.

Would not my right hon. Friend agree, first, that there is no way of increasing British exports except by either increasing the quality of our goods or reducing the prices? Secondly, could he look into the danger of exports being sold in foreign markets at lower prices than in the home market and thereby selling at a loss to the nation?

I do not agree that the two things my hon. Friend mentions are the only things that can be done with exports. A great deal can be done through salesmanship, and a great deal can be done by consulting and meeting the particular needs of the markets, and I hope that British industry will continue to concentrate on these things.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development how much factory building has been started in the Bishop Auckland constituency as a result of the measures proposed in Command Paper No. 2206; how many jobs have so far been created; and how many are in the pipeline.

No factory building has been started in the Bishop Auckland constituency since the publication of Command Paper No. 2206. But two advance factories started before then have been completed and a tenant found for one. In addition, assistance under the Local Employment Acts, 1960, and 1963 has been offered to five projects, expected to give rise to 75 new jobs.

At that rate, the unemployment rate in this constituency will be equal to the national average by about 1984. Will the hon. Gentleman say why he has cast Bishop Auckland for the rôle of a travel-to-work area and an area where there is to be continued migration, instead of taking much more vigorous steps to stimulate the development of industry locally, and introducing other industry?

The hon. Gentleman knows the answer, because we have had this out many times before. Bishop Auckland is not in the growth zone in the North-East. It is in the travel-to-work area. It remains a development district outside the growth zone and, therefore, any industry going there can take advantage of the Local Employment Acts. The facilities are there.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development if he will take steps to require the licensing of all businesses calling at homes for the purpose of sales for gain with requisite exemptions in respect of milk, bread, laundry and similar businesses.

I understand that the Consumer Council is considering this matter, and I await its views with interest.

Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that a great deal of anxiety exists about the malpractices of a small section of these people, and that registration of businesses rather than individuals doing the work would, on the whole, cause no anxiety or trouble to the businesses concerned?

I realise the deepening public anxiety about this problem. The Molony Committee examined it, and decided that registration or licensing was not practicable. But the Consumer Council took this as one of the first three subjects for immediate consideration after it was formed, and I will therefore await is findings on the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development, if he will publish the specific written assurance he has received from the Soviet Minister of Foreign Trade regarding the correction of the present imbalance of trade between the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United Kingdom; and why this has not been included in Command Paper No. 2402 concerning Prolongation of the Anglo-Soviet Agreement of 1959.

I informed Mr. Patolichev of the concern of the United Kingdom at the serious imbalance in the trade between our two countries during the term of the 1959 Anglo-Soviet Trade Agreement. Accordingly, I asked Mr. Patolichev to continue to take the necessary measures to increase the scale of Russian purchases of United Kingdom goods for cash or on normal suppliers' credit in relation to the volume of United Kingdom purchases from the Soviet Union so as to achieve a much closer balance in the trade between our two countries. In his reply, Mr. Patolichev confirmed that the competent Soviet authorities would act in accordance with my request.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that there is a general impression that such a written undertaking was given, and that I am disappointed to hear that the undertaking was only a verbal one? Does he appreciate that it is the impression of some of us that in dealing with Russia he is perhaps unaware of the strength of some of the cards in his hand which do not always extend only to the narrow field of trade statistics?

This is a written undertaking. It is not only a verbal undertaking, but a written one. It is very clear. We have also the Anglo-Soviet Trade Agreement.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that there may be great possibilities of further trade in these quarters if we continue to be ready to look at the restrictive list of goods and keep it constantly up to date so that without offending our allies, we are able to take advantage of such trade opportunities as occur?

We do keep this list under constant review, and there are frequent conferences between the allies to review the whole list.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that trade with the Soviet Union partly depends on the state of the restrictive list, and is he sure that the classification is realistic in present-day conditions?

I think that, broadly speaking, they are realistic, but the plain fact is that there is scope for increased trade quite apart from the list, and this is agreed both by the Soviet Union and ourselves.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development why the quota for Soviet earthenware and china to be imported into the United Kingdom during the current year is four times the value of the corresponding quota for British exports to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, contrary to Article 4(1) of the existing trade agreement with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

Article 4(1) of the Anglo-Soviet Trade Agreement provides that the facilities for the exchange of consumer goods shall be balanced. There is no obligation nor need to balance the quotas for individual goods. The individual quotas depend on the desire of one country to export the goods concerned and the willingness of the other to accept them.

Surely my right hon. Friend will agree that china and earthenware are traditional exports of the United Kingdom, while the same cannot be said of the U.S.S.R. countries? Can my right hon. Friend explain why Russia and East Europe is the one remaining area for which an export council has not yet been formed?

To answer the second part of my hon. and gallant Friend's supplementary question, the reason is that trading in the Eastern Socialist countries is State trading, so that decisions are made by the machinery of Government and cannot be influenced by export councils working on individual buyers. As for the first part of his supplementary question, if I were to follow the implication of my hon. and gallant Friend's suggestion this would lead to a limitation of trade with the Eastern Socialist countries and not to the expansion that he was earlier pressing on me.

Is the Minister aware that our china and earthenware workers are the most skilled there are, and that for many years the Soviet Union has been keen to import some of them to improve its own industry, but that we have not been able to allow the Russians to have them?

I do not think that that is a question for me.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development if he will take steps to provide adequate jobs for young persons who are registering for employment in the Airdrie Youth Employment Office; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend will continue to encourage suitable industrial development in the area. North Lanarkshire will benefit from the increase in the level of activity throughout the region as a whole, which is the objective of the Government's programme for development and growth in Central Scotland.

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that his party has had exactly five years to achieve this purpose, and has failed in it, so that today we have too many boys, in particular, chasing too few jobs? Is not this an unbalanced economy when in southern England we have too few boys for too many jobs? Is it not time that the position was reversed, and our boys given a decent opportunity to make progress in their lives?

I do not think that the hon. Gentleman is quite up to date. At the moment, according to the Airdrie Youth Employment Office there are 70 boys and girls unemployed in the area and there are 73 vacancies. With regard to opportunities, I should have thought that the hon. Gentleman might take pride in the fact that in the first six months of this year 43·3 per cent. of boys in the area entering first employment got apprenticeships, as against the national average of 32·6 per cent. From this it would seem that the opportunities appear to be rather better in Airdrie than they are in the country at large.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the office of the Youth Employment Service has just issued a statement indicating that it is faced with a serious problem in finding jobs for male school leavers and that the vacancies to which he refers are suitable for females? What opportunities can be offered to young boys leaving school? Will the Department and the Government do something if not for the hon. Member for the area and for the Opposition then at least for these youths?

The figures which I have given indicate that there has been considerable progress, and the fact that there is a higher rate of apprenticeship than in the country at large should be a matter for pride.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development if he will give a list of the firms which have requested his assistance in the signing of a trade agreement with Spain for the supply of warships; and what assistance he offered to these firms by way of credit or other means.

No, Sir; because to do so would be a breach of commercial confidence.

Can we have some frank talking or speaking, whatever the Prime Minister's phrase may be? If the right hon. Gentleman were to speak in accordance with what he knows to be the facts, would he not say that there have been no agreements and no approaches for credit? Will the right hon. Gentleman come clean and make that clear?

My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence have both dealt with this matter very clearly. What is required is not more frank speaking but clearer and more sensible thinking by hon. and right hon. Members opposite.

As the right hon. Gentleman told the House just now that the Cocom restrictions on strategic exports applied to Fascist as well as Communist countries, may I ask to which countries the Government apply restrictions on strategic exports?

If the right hon. Gentleman wants a full answer perhaps he will put down a Question and I will let him have the complete information. It involves, as he knows, other countries. It is not the Cocom restrictions that apply to exports to other countries as far as nuclear reactors are concerned. I was referring to that item specifically and not to the Cocom restrictions.

Do these restrictions on strategic exports apply to South Africa, Indonesia, Cuba and Spain?

The right hon. Gentleman knows that for certain articles they apply to some of these countries, but if he wants specific answers about all of these countries he should put down a Question.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development if he will now introduce legislation to provide for the registration of travel agents and the introduction of a code of conduct.

No, Sir, but my right hon. Friend will continue to keep in close touch with British Travel and Holidays Association about this matter.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that if some of the time which was devoted to resale price maintenance in the House had been given to this very important aspect of consumer protection, many British holiday-makers would have been saved from some of their experiences in the past two or three years?

I am sorry for any holiday-maker who has a bad or unsatisfactory holiday but I do not accept the hon. Member's contentions. The number of complaints known to the Board of Trade about the conduct of travel agencies is small in relation to the number using their services. Secondly, and most important, we have no evidence to suggest that in countries where registration is compulsory the standards of travel agents are higher than they are in Britain.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware of the distinction between a travel agent and an inclusive tour operator, which the hon. Member for Blyth (Mr. Milne) does not seem to appreciate? Would not the hon. Gentleman consider, as a means of protecting people against inclusive tour operators who have not sufficient resources, making it compulsory upon them to publish details of their paid-up capital on any literature sent out to the public?

That is an interesting suggestion. I do not know that it would give very much more protection, but, as I explained in my original Answer, my right hon. Friend is keeping in touch with the British Travel and Holidays Association which has been looking into this matter.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the hon. Member for Orpington (Mr. Lubbock) appears to be equally badly informed as the Board of Trade? Is he aware that there is considerable disquiet and that the Board of Trade has failed in its duty to that section of the public by not doing something before now and that there is ample evidence which the Board can obtain if it seeks to look for it in an effort to alleviate the suffering that has taken place?

The hon. Member will know that the Consumer Council has had a look at this matter and that all that it has said is that there might be a case for the compulsory licensing of travel agencies. We will continue to discuss the matter both with the Council and the British Travel and Holidays Association, but current evidence does not show that the Bill which the hon. Member wants would have alleviated distress in certain of these cases.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development what study he has made of the communication sent to him about the activities of a travel agency; and if he will make a statement.

I have considered a communication from a correspondent of the hon. Member about hotel accommodation provided for him at a foreign resort. If the facts are as he says, I certainly sympathise with the hon. Member's correspondent, although I understand that the firm in question has now agreed to make a cash refund.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the firm in question changed hands on 9th July, that efforts are still being made on the Continent to contact the previous directors of the firm and that it is due to their activities that a great deal of the suffering has taken place? Is he also aware that information on this matter, as well, appears to be utterly inadequate?

With great respect to the hon. Member, I am prepared to go into the case but from the facts I am not in a position to do so. Nobody but a court of law is in that position especially because, as I understand, the dispute arose on what type of accommodation the firm's customers were entitled to expect in relation to the advertisements and whether the accommodation which the firm provided fell short of the standard. That, at the end of the day, is a matter for the courts.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development why he will not make available to the House the text of the ruling by the Restrictive Practices Court on steel price agreements.

This judgment is reported in extenso in the Weekly Law Report for 10th July, 1964, under the title "In re British Heavy Steel Makers' Agreement". This will shortly be available in the Library.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that very shortly hon. Members will be going away for the Summer Recess and the General Election? In view of the propaganda of the steel companies, partly at the cost of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, claiming great advantages for competitive private enterprise in this industry, may I ask whether it is not highly desirable that the Press and the public should be fully informed of the results of this inquiry showing that there is something lacking in the competitive claim for the industry?

I am fully in agreement with both the Press and the public having the fullest information. If the hon. Member wants it he can read it in The Times of the following day where the case was reported in extenso. It is not customary to publish judicial judgments as White Papers for the House and that is why I have not published this. I said that the full Law Report would be available shortly. I understand that the Report is in the post but I cannot say when it will arrive.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that I have read The Times law report and several other newspaper reports? Is he aware that if one reads several newspaper reports one reads reports which are clearly biased according to the political attitude of the newspaper publishing them?

And The Times.

I would remind the Minister that The Times is for top people and we are not concerned just for top people in this country. Is not it a responsibility of Her Majesty's Government to make this objective analysis of industry available to all people throughout the country?

Whatever the hon. Member may think about newspapers, this is the first time that I have heard anybody question the objectivity of The Times law reports. As I have said, the Report in extenso will be available soon in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development the value of British wool textile exports to the United States of America in 1955 and 1963; and what information he has from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development as to how they compare with Japanese wool textile exports to the United States of America in the same years.

Imports into the United States of America of wool yarns and fabrics from the United Kingdom were valued at £12 million in 1955 and £8 million in 1963. Corresponding imports from Japan were valued at £2·7 million in 1955 and £17 million in 1963.

Is not the Minister gravely concerned at this devastating onslaught by Japan on our trade with North America? How far is it due to the assistance given to Japan by our own Foreign Office for political and strategic reasons? How far is this policy to be pursued at the expense of our own wool textile industry?

Sales in the American market are a question of competition between all countries in that market. Japan's sales are not being aided by the British Foreign Office in any way. This is a matter of competition between industries and countries in the American market. I hope that our wool industry will do its utmost to compete with the Japanese, although I realise exactly how fierce this competition is.

Does the Minister agree that the wool trade has shown great resilience in exports by exceeding this year the export figures to foreign countries for the past five years? Is the Minister aware, however, that we could do even better in our trade if we got as good assistance from Government organisations here as the Japanese get from their Government?

I am the first to pay tribute, as I did in Bradford recently, to the achievements of the wool industry in exports; they are invaluable to us. If the hon. Member would like to let me know of any instances in which he thinks that we can be of more service to the wool industry, I will gladly consider them.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development whether he will make a statement on the results obtained from the recent British trade fair in Madrid.

A British industrial exhibition was organised by British Overseas Fairs Ltd. in Barcelona—not Madrid, as my hon. Friend states—in April this year. British firms and their Spanish agents were in general well satisfied with the results but precise information is not yet available.

Would not my right hon. Friend agree that much of the good effect of this trade fair has been jeopardised by the Leader of the Opposition? While exports from this country to Spain have trebled over the last five years, are we not now meeting increasing competition from the Germans, French and Americans and increased consumer resistance overall to our products since the order for the Spanish frigates was suspended? Can my right hon. Friend now say to the House what he thinks that the Leader of the Opposition should do to try to mitigate some of the damage which he has done to our trade in this way?

The last part of that cannot be in order. The multiple responsibilities of the Minister do not include that activity.

I agree, Mr. Speaker, that it is not for me to tell the Leader of the Opposition what he ought to do. As to the first part of my hon. Friend's supplementary question, I was at the exhibition myself and there was no doubt about the great impression which was made on Spanish industrialists and possible purchasers by the very high quality of the engineering and other goods shown at the exhibition. I hope, therefore, that considerable orders will be coming to British firms.

Will the Secretary of State use his great influence with the Prime Minister to get a White Paper published showing the amount of equipment which the Government have refused to supply to the Indian Government?

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development, in view of the illegal trading activities of the Blackpool firm, New Era Electrics, arising from operations by their door-to-door salesmen in the St. Helens constituency, whether he will take steps to investigate these activities; and whether he will introduce legislation to stop the use of minors in the making of hire-purchase agreements.

My right hon. Friend is advised that the documents which the hon. Member has submitted reveal no grounds on which he could order an investigation. As my right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General said on 23rd June, if the hon. Gentleman has evidence that a criminal offence has been committed, the facts ought to be investigated by the local police. The answer to the second part of the Question is that the general law already protects minors adequately in relation to hire-purchase transactions.

Is the Minister aware that New Era Electrics, Blackpool, is still operating and taking advantage of old people and even selling secondhand machines as new, and that this case has ben reported to the Blackpool Police but that the Chief Constable has taken no action? Is the hon. Gentleman aware that if this firm sends its lackeys to St. Helens again, I will report the case to the police and ask them to take action? Is not the Minister aware that his attitude and that of his Department in leaving old people unprotected is cowardly?

The hon. Member should be fair about this. The general enforcement of the law is the responsibility of the local police. My right and learned Friend the Attorney-General looked into the case and, as the hon. Member knows—I repeat it again today—his advice to the hon. Member and his constituents was to deal with the local police, whose job this is.

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

asked the Prime Minister if he will have an up-to-date White Paper published, containing the facts on the development of nuclear energy, the research carried out at the Manchester University, the Manchester College of Technology, the M. V. Trafford Park Research Department, the development of heavy water in Norway, the dates on which the results of the research were taken to the United States of America and the reasons why, details of the credit due to the individuals concerned, and the secret transactions that took place which resulted in the nuclear bomb being produced in the United States of America and later by the British Government.

The first volume of a history of the United Kingdom atomic energy project under the title "Britain and Atomic Energy 1939–45" has been prepared by the Atomic Energy Authority's historian and archivist. It will be published in September and I am advised that most of the points mentioned in the Question will be dealt with in this volume.

While appreciating that reply from the Prime Minister, may I ask him whether he agrees with me that our export trade in the future will depend more upon scientific development and upon development in engineering than at any time in the past? Does he agree that there are thousands of excellent young men and women working in the laboratories to keep in the forefront of world development? If so, will he see that this history is circulated to them to encourage them in the good work they are doing?

Yes, Sir.

asked the Prime Minister what decisions were made by the Commonwealth Prime Ministers with regard to the expansion of Commonwealth trade.

At the Commonwealth Prime Ministers Meeting we made a thorough review of the world economic situation, with particular reference to Commonwealth problems and needs. The communiqué, which was circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT on 16th July, makes it clear that there was agreement on many points important for the expansion of trade and for Commonwealth co-operation to this end.

Is it not important to maintain our share of this important trade? Is the Prime Minister aware that during the 13 years of Conservative rule, the United Kingdom's share of Commonwealth trade has dropped from 25 per cent. to 19 per cent. and that if our exports to the Commonwealth had gone up at the same rate as the increase in total Commonwealth imports, we would this year be exporting £375 million more than we are doing? Does not this single fact show to the Prime Minister that his economic priorities, as well as his moral priorities, are completely misplaced in pursuing the Spanish arms deal? Is he further aware that information has come to light today showing that an important Indian order for a chemical factory from I.C.I., about which negotiations began 14 months ago, has been held up for six months as a result of Ministerial fumbling? What will the Prime Minister do about this?

I do not think that the hon. Member or anybody else who looks at the figures of trade and aid to India and the way we try to help could really fault us in this respect. We have given an enormous amount of aid, military and otherwise, to India, particularly to help her in her difficulties with the Chinese. Of course, as the hon. Member has said, the percentage of exports has fallen. My figures are from 36 per cent. in 1959 to 30 per cent. in 1963. But, of course—

Why 1959?

The hon. Member for Wednesbury (Mr. Stonehouse) has taken one set of figures; I am taking another. There is no dispute that the percentage has fallen, and there are a number of reasons for this. Some non-Commonwealth markets, especially in Western Europe, have been expanding more quickly than those of the Common-weath. Newly independent Commonwealth countries are exploring alternative sources of supply. Our own agricultural production has risen very fast and industrialisation in the Commonwealth countries themselves means that they are now making goods which formerly we exported. Of course, we must make every effort to increase inter-Commonwealth trade—that is common to us all—but it is not very surprising that there has been a fall in this proportion.

Would my right hon. Friend agree that the important thing is to increase our efforts to stimulate Commonwealth trade, first for the merits of that itself, and secondly to enable Commonwealth countries to explore the other markets about which he has just been talking? Would he further agree that one of the most important things which can be done for the developing members of the Commonwealth is to come to some form of an agreement on stabilisation of commodity prices to ensure that they earn foreign currency with which they can buy our finished products?

Yes, Sir. This is one of the things to which we gave our support at the Geneva Conference, which we are following up with other members of the Commonwealth.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the figures which he has quoted, which recently appeared in the Treasury Bulletin, show that between 1959 and 1963 there was a fall from 36 to 32 per cent. in the imports from the Commonwealth and from 36 to 30 per cent. in our exports to the Commonwealth? Having regard to all the difficulties that he mentioned, as Commonwealth imports from the outside world and other Commonwealth countries have been rising quite remarkably particularly so far as manufactured goods are concerned, is he really satisfied with the effort made either by the Government or by our exporters in holding a fair share of that market? If Germany, Japan and the United States could export manufactured goods to these Commonwealth countries between 1959 and 1963 as they have done, will he say why we could not?

I am never satisfied with the position, obviously, but I hope that the new National Export Council, to which my right hon. Friend referred the other day, which will deal with Commonwealth countries either individually or by areas, will assist our exports, which I think is the right hon. Gentleman's desire. At the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' conference every Commonwealth country desired to take the fullest advantage that it possibly could of the expansion in world trade, and, therefore, they did not want any restrictive arrangements in the Commonwealth itself.

rose—

Oh.

Give another member of the orchestra a chance.

Since some of us have been pressing for this without any hope from the Government for 12 years, we have the right to put these questions now.

I shall be very surprised if my right hon. Friend the Secretary of States does not understand. The right hon. Gentleman must remember that throughout the year there are meetings; the finance officials meet at least twice a year, and the Finance Ministers meet twice a year. So the questions that he has raised are constantly reviewed by the Finance Ministers of the Commonwealth countries.

Is it not the direct interest of this country and of all the Commonwealth countries that they should diversify their trade in other countries outside the Commonwealth, and is this not precisely what is happening?

Yes, Sir; that is true. This is what I meant when I said—[Laughter.]—I do not know why hon. Members opposite seem to find this funny—that the Commonwealth Prime Ministers at their meeting did not want to see an exclusively Commonwealth club. They wanted the widest trade possible.

asked the Prime Minister if he will propose to the other Commonwealth Governments that the proposals in the communiqué of the Conference of the Commonwealth Prime Ministers for a Commonwealth Foundation to encourage exchanges in the fields of the professions should be extended to cover training and exchanges of technical personnel.

The proposals for a Commonwealth Foundation, together with other projects mentioned in the communiqué, have now been remitted to Commonwealth officials for study. I would not exclude the idea of a Foundation extending its activities as proposed and no doubt this will form part of the study by officials. But this is a matter on which all Commonwealth Governments will have to agree. Much will, of course, depend on the funds available to the Foundation at the beginning and on the fact that it has been devised essentially as a means of promoting further Commonwealth links in the professional field.

I thank the Prime Minister for saying that he is not averse to extending the remit of the Foundation. Is he aware that the need in many of the developing countries for skilled personnel and for technicians is as great as the need for professional men and women, and that some years ago there was an attempt to start in this country a scheme for bringing people from those countries for apprenticeships here, a scheme which was backed by employers and unions? Would it not be a great service if the Government put their influence behind the scheme and made funds available to expand it?

I think that this may certainly be a development in the future. We do not want to overstretch the Foundation to start with. We have to find the necessary money to finance it at present in the education field and it is now proposed in the fields of medicine and engineering, too. The Secretary for Technical Co-operation and the Commonwealth Relations Office arrange technical assistance with other Governments.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the announcement in the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' communiqué in support of an agreement prohibiting the further dissemination of nuclear weapons, he will propose to President Johnson and Mr. Khrushchev a next step agreement covering the above proposal.

Both my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I have many times proposed this. But the Russians have not agreed. I hope this will be one of the matters which my right hon. Friend will have an opportunity to discuss in Moscow.

Is not the main obstacle to a non-dissemination agreement the opposition of the Soviet Union to a multilateral nuclear force? Can we be assured that the proposal for a multilateral force will not be allowed by the Government to prevent the achievement of a non-dissemination agreement?

This has been the official Russian reaction. It is difficult to see why, because, as I have said before, and, I think, in this House, the creation of a multilateral force must mean more fingers on the safety catch, if I may put it that way. On the other hand, it is quite possible to devise a non-dissemination agreement and an agreement on a multilateral force which would not be inconsistent with each other.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that his colleague, the Minister without Portfolio, yesterday in another place defended the multilateral force on the ground that it would make national deterrents unnecessary? Does not this blow the gaff on the whole of the Government's policy, and do the Government intend to give up the British deterrent if the multilateral force comes into being?

If the hon. Gentleman wants to hand over the whole of the nuclear defence of our island to another country — [Interruption.] — the hon. Gentleman asked the question in his own way, and I shall give my answer in my own way. If the hon. Gentleman is proposing to hand over the nuclear defence of our country to another country, I cannot agree with him.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will advise the appointment of a Royal Commission on the state of the Church of England.

No, Sir.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that, while I have no desire to embroil him in current religious controversies— [HON. MEMBERS: "Why not? "]—because I think he has enough to do—there has not been a Royal Commission on the Church of England since 1906, and that it is 45 years since the Act was passed setting up the Church Assembly and the relationship between it and Parliament? Would it not be a good thing, in order to delay current religious controversies and the possibility of a clash between this House and the Church Assembly, if some such inquiry were made and provocative legislation by the Church Assembly were held up pending it?

I really would not think it right to recommend the appointment of a Royal Commission because there are differences of opinion about the Vestures Measure.

Will the Prime Minister think of some means of divesting this House of responsibility for matters such as the Vestures Measure, which many of us think are extremely trivial in comparison with other matters which should occupy our attention?

That may be so. I am expressing no opinion on it, however. All I say is that I do not think that it is time for a Royal Commission now.

Before my right hon. Friend does consider appointing a Royal Commission—[HON. MEMBERS: "He is not going to."]—before he changes his mind in the coming years as Prime Minister, will he ensure that a Royal Commission is desired by members of the Church of England living in the established provinces of Canterbury and York and not just by people living in the unestablished provinces of Wales, Scotland and Ireland?

I think that I will leave Scotland out of it, but there must be the widest consultation.