asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state the value of the stock in hand and work in progress for the latest available period.

The book value of all stocks and work in progress in the United Kingdom, at the end of March, 1965, was approximately £12,200 million.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say what percentage of this total, which he will appreciate is extremely large, represented imported goods?

No, I could not say that without notice.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he will give details of the discussions he has had on the relocation of factories displaced by development in various parts of London; with whom these discussions took place; and what proposals have been made to relocate the factories on the Woolwich Arsenal estate;

The Government have decided that the primary use of the land released at Woolwich shall be for housing, but I am prepared to consider a limited number of suitable industrial projects for location there.

Would my right hon. Friend agree that certain factories which are at present in the inner parts of London, in the very congested area, might be suitable for relocation in an area like Woolwich Arsenal estate? Secondly, would he also consider that if we have a very large number of people occupying houses there it would be reasonable for there to be industrial opportunities nearer where they live rather than at a distance?

Yes, I agree with both those propositions. I think that the most suitable work for this area is probably nonconforming industries moving from other parts of London.

Would the use of part of that site for factories prejudice or modify in any way the statement of the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Housing and Local Government on 5th April that 65,000 people would have homes found for them on this site?

No, Sir.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the practice of retail distributors of coke of putting a water hose on their coke at depots; and what legislative or other steps he intends to take to protect the consumer from this form of exploitation.

I am pleased to be able to tell my hon. Friend that after this week fraudulent or deceptive damping of solid fuel will after 31st July be an offence under the Weights and Measures Act, 1963. This part of the Act comes into force on Saturday.

Is my hon. Friend aware that the House will welcome that decision? Does he realise that I myself have seen a tradesman actually on top of a coke pile watering the coke like I water the garden, and can he tell me what steps the housewife has got to take to protect herself if she feels that the coke contains an undue proportion of water?

If the coal merchant from whom she gets the coke belongs to the approved coal merchants' scheme, I think she will be able to get redress straight away from the coal merchant himself, but if that fails to get her satisfaction, she should ask the assistance of the local weights and measures authority which has responsibility in this matter.

While everyone would deplore deliberate attempts to defraud the consumer, would not the Minister agree that there are many cases where local authorities ask coal merchants to damp down in order to keep down the dust? They do it on instructions.

Yes, Sir.

Would not the Minister agree that the next step in this very desirable progress is the encouragement of the covering of stocks in coal merchants' yards? Would not this lead to the housewife getting a fairer deal?

Yes, Sir. Discussions are going on within the trade itself to get better depots with covering and all the other modern facilities for weighing, and so on, which will be for the benefit of the consumer.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is his policy regarding safety in small boats; and how many such boats were involved in inshore casualties in United Kingdom waters in 1964.

Small boats which ply for hire are already subject to control by the Board of Trade or by local authorities and I am satisfied with these arrangements. The Board of Trade's regulations requiring the provision of safety appliances do not apply at present to private craft under 45 ft. in length but my right hon. Friend is considering whether they should be extended to cover smaller vessels.

Would the Minister bear in mind that the figures I have for Her Majesty's Coastguard reports in 1964 are over 1,000? This is a large increase on the year before. I think it is important for the Minister to bring in some regulations before long on buoyancy in small craft of this type and also to deal with the whole problem of life jackets. Would the Minister examine the report of the Medical Commission on Accident Prevention which came out this week and dealt with these points?

I have noted the report and I do not think I can go further than that. The Board is already in touch with yachting and other associations with a view first to deciding on the range of vessels under 45 ft. in length which should be covered and a meeting about this should take place in the autumn.

Will the Minister say what support he is prepared to give to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents and its pamphlet, "Safety Afloat", so that publicity on safety measures may be effectively carried out?

As my hon. Friend says, there is available a booklet on "Safety Afloat" published by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents which has my full support. Much useful work in this field has already been done by yachting and sailing clubs and the more that can be done in this way the better.

I thank the hon. Gentleman for what he has said. Will he and the Government do everything they can to encourage propaganda to tell people what is available to them from the point of view of rescue services and so on? Will they do everything they can to try to stop people going to sea in unseaworthy craft? We saw a report only last week about someone who went out to sea in a ship which turned over to fetch in his daughter who had gone out in a boat. Education is required. We cannot make people wear life-jackets all the time. What is needed is education about the dangers at sea for these people before they go out to sea.

I agree that we cannot legislate for stupidity and that many of these accidents at sea are due to amateur sailors who have never bothered to read such documents as the one I mentioned, "Safety Afloat".

asked the President of the Boa rd of Trade whether he will give the figures for the importation of goods covered by the 15 per cent. or 10 per cent. import surcharge over the last available seven months of 1964–65 compared with the same period of 1954–55, 1958–59, 1961–62 and 1963–64.

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

In view of the statement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on Tuesday about limiting imports of manufactured goods, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman to tell the House what he now considers to be the prospects for reducing and eventually abandoning the import surcharge?

No. I can tell the hon. Member that the figures show that so far this year those imports not subject to the surcharge have increased, whereas those subject to the surcharge have markedly decreased. Therefore, we can say with confidence that the surcharge is being effective.

Would the right hon. Gentleman answer my question? I asked what prospects there were of reducing and eventually abandoning the surcharge? The right hon. Gentleman has made observations about this in the past. I should like to know, in view of the Chancellor's statement, whether there is any change in those prospects.

No, Sir. We shall reduce the surcharge as soon as the balance of payments position makes it possible.

In view of the fact that when it was introduced the Government said that it would result in a saving of £300 million in imports, and as we have had it for eight months, can the right hon. Gentleman say whether that will be obtained or not?

The Government did not say £300 million, but so far the saving has been rather greater than we expected.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what action he intends to take to assist the British film industry.

British film production already receives a wide measure of assistance and the studios are well occupied.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that some very fine films have been produced recently by the independent producers? Is he satisfied that the arrangements are working to the benefit of independent producers as a whole?

Yes, Sir. From my information, the producers of a large number of successful films recently made have had independent control over scripts and production arrangements.

Will the right hon. Gentleman continue to give every assistance to this industry, particularly that part of the industry concerned with television films? Will he bear in mind that many of us are sick and tired of the importation of American films for T.V. and it is high time that British films had a fair share in T.V. programmes?

Yes, Sir, we shall do all we reasonably can to encourage British films.

Is the President of the Board of Trade aware that those who have studied the problem will consider his first Answer very complacent and not reflecting the true position in Britain?

That is not my information from the industry, but if the hon. Member wants to make special representations I shall be delighted to listen to them.

What does the right hon. Gentleman mean when he says that the Government will do all they reasonably can? The complaint of the film industry is that not enough is being done and a great deal more needs to be done by the Board of Trade on this matter to encourage the British film industry to make films so that we do not have to import American rubbish for television.

The hon. Member must know of the things which are being done. There is a quota in force and there is the National Film Finance Corporation and the special levy introduced by the previous Labour Government.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a statement about the present position of the Kennedy Round of tariff reductions.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what recent initiative has been taken by Her Majesty's Government in order to seek a solution to the negotiations on the Kennedy Round of tariff reductions.

As the statement is rather long, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for sending me an advance copy of that statement. Is he aware that there will be some disappointment that the British Government are not proposing to take any new initiative in this matter? Will he agree that in the interests of world trade in general and the increase in British exports in particular it is important that Britain should be seen to be making a positive lead in this field?

I think everyone knows that we are. We put in our exceptions lists last winter on the due date and we are trying to push the negotiations forward. We have to complete them before the middle of 1967. I hope that all countries will realise as well as us that if we lose the chance of achieving the result by then, we shall have missed a great opportunity.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that there is a developing body of opinion which does not think that fiscal and monetary inducements for exports are the only answers and that more means must be found to get our goods on display at minimum cost to the manufacturer?

I think that refers to the next Question rather than to this one.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what new action or initiative he has taken within the last six weeks to stimulate exports.

I would refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 27th July. In addition to these measures I am pressing on with the policies which I announced on 27th January and the supplementary measures that I described to the House on 8th April, 1st June and 23rd June. I am sending him copies of my statements for his information.

The President is no doubt fully aware of the importance of exports in the fulfilment of the national plan being prepared by the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs. Can he confirm that he is being consulted on this plan at every stage and can he tell the House what changes have been made in the figures for exports in that plan as a result of the measures which he has announced?

Yes, Sir, I am being fully consulted. I can assure the hon. Member that the further measures announced yesterday will help to ensure that we will achieve the target for exports foreshadowed in the plan.

In view of the fact that since February exports have fallen each month—in March, April, May and June—will not the right hon. Gentleman now admit that the Government's policies in this respect have failed? What else does he propose to do? Does he realise that merely tinkering with the problem as he has been doing so far will not solve it?

No, Sir. As a result of the whole series of measures we have introduced—all of which were said by the previous Government to be impossible—exports are now running at a level of 4 per cent. higher than a year ago. The reason the increase has not been still greater is due to the present very high level of home demand and that is exactly why the Chancellor announced the measures on Tuesday.

In view of the fact that under the Chancellor's statement the rate of interest to cover short terms of credit may vary and may still be higher than those paid by foreign competitors, are the Government considering what more can be done in the case of short-term credits?

Yes, Sir. We have produced a regular series of improvements and we intend to go on doing so.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many groups of cases, covering how many individual cases, seeking exemption from the ban on Resale Price Maintenance have been brought by the Registrar of Restrictive Practices before the court; and how many groups of cases, covering how many individual cases, still await consideration by the court.

I am informed by the Registrar that proceedings under the Resale Prices Act have been started in respect of 32 cases, covering about 140 whole classes of registered goods and parts of a further 20 classes. The Registrar is not able to estimate the number of court cases that will be necessary to cover the other parts of these 20 classes, and the remaining 350 classes of registered goods.

Could the Minister of State give any indication of how long he expects this process to take?

At this stage I think that would be extremely difficult. As I am sure the hon. Gentleman is aware, the beginning of proceedings in these matters takes some considerable time. The Registrar must get the cases prepared. I am afraid that it would be impossible at this stage to give any indication of the timetable.

When are the first cases expected to be heard?

I am afraid I cannot say without notice. The right hon. and learned Gentleman will know more about these proceedings than I do. I understand that in about 10 cases the indications have been given to those concerned. They are preparing for their appearances before the court.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what action he is taking to stimulate further agreements on trade and tariff problems between the nations of the European Economic Community and the countries in the European Free Trade Association.

Following the initiative of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister at the recent meeting of the E.F.T.A. Ministers in Vienna, we are examining with our E.F.T.A. partners what suggestions might be put forward for discussion between the two groups with a view to promoting closer co-operation in Europe. We are continuing to work towards the success of the Kennedy Round which was agreed at that meeting to be of paramount importance as the principal means of lowering barriers to trade both worldwide and in Europe.

Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that the amount of trade being done by E.F.T.A. with the E.E.C. is decreasing in ratio at the moment? It is still greater than it was last year, but in ratio it is decreasing. Therefore, there is a need for something other than just consultation. Many of our E.F.T.A. partners expect Great Britain to take the lead in obtaining some definite results with the E.E.C.

Yes, I agree with the hon. Gentleman's practical proposals. It is true that the ratio is decreasing. The striking fact is that total trade between E.F.T.A. and the E.E.C. and indeed between the U.K. and the E.E.C., has more than doubled since the Rome Treaty was signed.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he intends to appoint new members to the Monopolies Commission; how many cases are waiting to be heard by the Commission; and how many reports by the Commission have been issued this year.

I intend to make further appointments to the Monopolies Commission this autumn. I cannot say in advance what further cases will be referred to the enlarged Commission. The answer to the third part of the Question is, one.

As the Bill is very soon to become law, does not the right hon. Gentleman think that he should hurry up these appointments? Could he give some idea of the type of individual he will ask to serve on the Commission?

I cannot make the appointments until the Bill has received the Royal Assent, but I assure the hon. and gallant Gentleman that as soon as it has received it we shall proceed with the appointments.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say when he expects the report from the Commission on the film industry?

No.

What action does my right hon. Friend intend to take on the report the Commission has produced?

I have already said that we accept the main conclusions of the report—I think my hon. Friend means on the distribution of petrol. I hope shortly, after consultation with the industry concerned, that we shall be able to formulate precise proposals.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) what is the total number of pin-table and fruit machines imported in the last five years;

I will, with permission, circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT those figures which are available.

I should like my right hon. Friend to give us a total figure at some time and to consider whether the import of pin-table and fruit machines is of any value whatsoever in our present economic circumstances.

I presume that those who purchase them and import them consider that they are of some value to them. As to the general question, the previous Government removed import quotas from all these sorts of goods, and it is very much more difficult to re-establish them once they are removed than to keep them there.

Would my right hon. Friend, having allowed the import of these machines, refer to the Chancellor of the Exchequer the possibility of taxing the income from them, because that way he would hit a considerable jackpot?

I will certainly pass that suggestion on to my right hon. Friend. My hon. Friend may be glad to know that these machines bear both a 20 per cent. import duty and a 10 per cent. surcharge.

Are not these machines available and manufactured in this country? Before the right hon. Gentleman takes any drastic steps about them, will he realise that a large percentage of the income of both political parties comes from these machines?

I have no official information about the latter point. I understand that manufacture in this country is on a small scale.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will introduce legislation to prevent insurance companies rejecting proposals for motor insurance from individuals with British parents on the grounds that they were born outside the British Isles.

No, Sir. I understand that in so far as any insurance companies are less ready to accept proposals for motor insurance from persons born outside the British Isles, any such differential treatment is based on an assessment of the risks involved.

I thank my hon. Friend for that reply. Is he not aware that this sort of action makes the individuals concerned feel that it is a form of racial discrimination?

As I understand it from this case, that does not arise. It is, as I said in my Answer, a question of basing the assessment on the risks involved for the person who wants to be insured. My hon. Friend should bear in mind that there are about 200 insurers in this country catering for motor business. It is a very competitive market. I should imagine that any competent driver, whatever his origin, whether born in this country or not, should be able to find an insurer prepared to offer him reasonable terms.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will take steps to stop the sale of arms to Peru.

No, Sir.

Would not my right hon. Friend agree that it would be of assistance to the reformist Government established in Peru if we were to seek to replace this kind of trade with trade which would be of greater assistance to the economic development in this territory, as indeed applies in other territories in this part of the world?

I am all in favour of peaceful trade with Peru, but I am not satisfied that there is a case for the ban which my hon. Friend is arguing for.

Will the right hon. Gentleman resist pressure from his hon. Friends for this sort of ban? Is he aware that we have traded very successfully with Peru for many years and that it is very important that these friendly relations should continue?

I will resist pressure from both sides of the House as necessary.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received for the nationalisation of the shipping industry and whether he will make a statement.

None, Sir.

If the hon. Gentleman has received no representations as such, would he agree that it is not for the want of proposals along these lines by the more outrageous Left-wing organisations? Will he give a firm assurance that he will not seek to solve the problems of this industry by the sterile formula of nationalisation?

That supplementary question is quite irrelevant because I have received no representations on this topic.

Has my hon. Friend received any representations from Right-wing elements calling for the denationalisation of our oldest nationalised industry—the British Navy?

Not yet.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what action he will take to ensure employment for technicians in the Merseyside area; and if he will make a statement.

I am not aware of any problem of employment for technicians on Merseyside requiring special action by me at the present time.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the Automatic Telephone Co. is proposing to take a section of its works to Poole? Does not this cut across the declared policy of the Government—[HON. MEMBERS: "Speak up."]—to expand work on Merseyside, which is a development area? Would my right hon. Friend—[Interruption.]—would my right hon. Friend look into this matter to ensure that something is done to overcome this difficulty, because certain Government contracts may well be affected as a result of the uncertainty?

I shall be very glad to look into this, but I understand that telephone manufacturing activity in Liverpool as a whole is increasing. Unemployment on Merseyside is now lower than for a very long time, but I will certainly examine what my hon. Friend had said.

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. During my supplementary question, there was constant interruption from the opposite side of the House which prevented hon. Members hearing what was being said. Is this the usual practice in the House?

I hope that hon. Members on both sides will remember (a) to speak audibly and (b) to listen quietly. In that way we shall get on better.

Will the President of the Board of Trade bear in mind that what is really wanted on Merseyside is a large number of small factories to be let, and that it is these which are most likely to require technicians?

Yes, Sir, I agree; and I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for the particulars about certain factories which he has sent to us.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will arrange for export statistics, other than those normally supplied by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise, to be available to manufacturers free of charge.

I am not convinced that the present charges are excessive.

Does not my right hon. Friend agree that, in our drive for exports, we should give the maximum information in the shortest possible time, without fiddling about with questions of cost?

I agree with that in general, but in this case I cannot see any reason why firms should not pay a reasonable charge, like everyone else, for this sort of publication.

Will my right hon. Friend consider making rather fuller information about imports available so that, when a firm is failing even to meet home market demand, its competitors can see this and get into the market quickly?

There is a good deal of information available already, but if my hon. Friend has any further particulars in mind, I shall consider them.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will consider the use of investment reserve certificates, similar to tax reserve certificates, in order to stimulate a level growth of industrial investment; and what official discussions he has had with industrial leaders on the subject.

As my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer indicated in his Budget statement, it is the Government's intention to review the present tax incentives to industrial investment. The hon. Member's suggestion will be borne in mind in this review. My right hon. Friend and I would welcome the views of industrial leaders on this whole subject.

Does the President of the Board of Trade realise that there is a good deal of anxiety that the whole modernisation of Britain, which featured so largely at the last General Election, will come to a shuddering halt, and there is, therefore, particular merit in schemes of this sort, notably in relation to the machine tool industry which has a cyclical tendency? Would it not be a great advantage if some incentives of this kind were introduced?

I see no evidence whatever of a shuddering halt. Industry and employment are now running at an all-time record level. But I agree with the hon. Gentleman that this is very important, and we are examining it carefully.

Has the right hon. Gentleman studied the cyclical pattern of industrial investment? Will he not agree that we seem at the moment to be at the top of a very slippery slope from which we may come down very quickly, and, if this be so, would not the remedy be to introduce these industrial investment certificates in the autumn? How far have his conversations with the Chancellor of the Exchequer got on this subject?

If we are at the top, then, obviously, we are not in the dire condition suggested by the hon. Member for Hendon, North (Sir Ian Orr-Ewing). But we are examining this, and I imagine that even the hon Member for Twickenham (Mr. Gresham Cooke) does not want us to introduce another Finance Bill next week.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish or make available a fully-detailed and comprehensive breakdown of machine tool imports, further to the information provided in the Overseas Trade Accounts.

Fuller details by type and by country of consignment are available from the Statistical Office of H.M. Customs and Excise. Figures for the year 1964 and the period January to May, 1965, have been placed in the Library.

Is my right hon Friend aware that some of us on this side have recently had discussions with the machine tool trade association—

Speak up.

Hon. Members opposite should get themselves hearing aids.

at which representatives of the trade complained that the available information was not sufficiently detailed for its members to be able to make an assessment of the potential home market, using the absence of this detailed breakdown as justification for the trade's failure to reduce the level of machine tool imports? Does not this indicate a need for closer co-operation between the Board of Trade and machine tool manufacturers in this country?

As my hon. Friend knows, there has just been a very thorough report on this industry by one of the "little Neddies" and its proposals are now being put into force. Perhaps my Answer will have made clear that very detailed figures of this kind are, in fact, available.

Why does not the President of the Board of Trade publish monthly figures—[HON. MEMBERS: "Speak up."]—of our home machine tool industry rather than create delay by keeping them for three months?

I am not sure that I heard the hon. Gentleman aright, but I shall study what he said in the OFFICIAL REPORT to see what can be done to help him.

On the supposition that hon. Members desire to hear the questions, might I drop the hint that, if they are addressed to the Chair, then the machine tools which we have available can operate?

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will take steps to prohibit the type of sales technique in which a customer is persuaded to pay for a home tuition course for which the necessary equipment is provided, only to find after entering into an agreement that the purpose of the arrangement is to sell the equipment.

My right hon. Friend has at present no evidence that such steps are necessary, but he is, of course, prepared to consider any specific complaints that my hon. Friend or others may send him.

Will my hon. Friend investigate the activities of a certain typewriting school or firm, details of which I have sent to him, which is causing some anxiety in various parts of the country? Second, will he bear in mind cases of the other type, details of which also I have sent to him, in which one of my constituents invested in a course, was involved in considerable expense, and had to withdraw from the course in order to avoid further expense?

Yes, Sir; we are investigating both the cases on the basis of the information which my hon. Friend has sent to us.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is his policy on granting industrial development certificates for those parts of the South-East which do not enjoy the prosperity of the region as a whole.

Industrial development certificates are granted in these places for projects which cannot go to the development districts and whose employment demands are not beyond local resources.

My right hon. Friend's Answer will be warmly welcomed. Will he continue to give the same sort of consideration as he has in the past to those parts of the South-East, like the Isle of Sheppey, for instance, which have previously been suffering hardship?

Yes, Sir.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what progress has been made in the negotiations in respect of the import of cotton textiles for 1966 onwards; and if he will make a statement.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the Hong Kong textile quota, in order to relieve the uncertainty which is damaging the Colony's trade.

I hope shortly to put formal proposals on the arrangements to be applied to imports of cotton textiles after the end of 1965 to exporting countries including Hong Kong. I shall make a statement as soon as possible.

Does my right hon. Friend recall the statement of the chairman of Courtaulds recently in which this modern capitalised industry, as it is becoming, sought a clear and forthright statement of policy such as I hope he will be able to give to the textile industry in the next week or so?

Yes Sir. We hope to achieve a limitation of total imports into this country from the end of this year onwards in order to give reasonable stability to the industry.

Why is the President of the Board of Trade taking so long to come to a conclusion in this matter? The delay is causing great damage to the Colony of Hong Kong's trade at present. Secondly, will he give an assurance that, in any action he proposes, he will maintain the individual quota for each territory and not institute a global quota?

The reason why it is taking some time is that there are several countries involved in the negotiation and not all of their views exactly coincide with ours.

While fully realising the importance of this aspect of our import problem for Lancashire, will my right hon. Friend consider, since a large part of our present serious international economic situation is due to the excess of imports generally, not only textiles, whether it is time that the Government devised a planned economic import policy as a whole?

We are devising precisely a plan for cotton textile imports over the years following the end of this year, and I fully agree that the present balance of payments prospect is an additional argument for our setting some limit on these imports.

Have these proposals the full backing of the Cotton Board?

No, Sir. I would not say that they had the full backing of the Cotton Board. This is a controversy in which any solution is bound to displease most of the parties concerned. [HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."] It is bound to. We had all better recognise that frankly. I am trying to achieve the most equitable possible compromise.

What other authorities and expert bodies besides the Cotton. Board is the right hon. Gentleman consulting?

I have consulted both sides of industry, and I have met a number of hon. Members who put their views to me as well as the cotton trade unions.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the supply of waste paper is barely sufficient to maintain reasonable stocks at the Mills; and what action the Government is now taking to encourage the collection of waste paper for use within the paper and board industry.

I know that the amount of waste paper at present being received by paper and board mills is less than their requirements. The action being taken to increase waste paper collection, was described in the reply which my hon. Friend gave to the hon. Member for Buckinghamshire, South (Mr. Ronald Bell) on 15th July.

While I thank my right hon. Friend for his reply, may I ask him whether he is aware that there is a good deal of concern in the paper industry about this shortage? Is there anything that he can do to make it more widely known and to stimulate local authorities and other bodies in the collection of waste paper?

The "little Neddy" for this industry has set up a working party to make proposals, and we hope that we shall have some proposals shortly.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the saving to our balance of payments from the collection of waste paper is a very considerable sum, running into millions of pounds per annum? Would he, therefore, have consultations with his right hon. Friend the Minister of Housing and Local Government to ascertain what further assistance can be given to local authorities to encourage them to increase their collections?

Yes, Sir. I have already been doing that for some time past.

Would not the right hon. Gentleman agree that the Government themselves have been making a very considerable contribution towards solving the shortage of waste paper?

Yes, Sir, and so have the Opposition.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the present imbalance of British trade with Denmark; and what is being done to step up British exports, particularly of coal.

The figures for our trade with Denmark can be obtained from Table IV of the Overseas Trade Accounts. A wide range of Government services is available to help British exporters to Denmark, as to other markets. The excellent results of last autumn's British Week are being energetically followed up by British exporters with the assistance of the Board of Trade and the Export Council for Europe. We are giving vigorous support to the National Coal Board's efforts to improve coal exports, and are in close touch with the Danish Government on this subject.

Will the right hon. Gentleman say whether these measures will lead to a balance of trade between this country and Denmark, and, if so, how long it will take?

We are trying to achieve that result. At the moment our exports to Denmark are increasing.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that a great many of the highly efficient firms in this country are too small to maintain export organisations in foreign countries? Would it be possible for the Board of Trade to set up a collective selling organisation so that small firms could be enlisted in the export drive?

Yes, Sir. As my right hon. Friend knows, we are investigating that, and we hope to have a report sooner or later.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware of the excessive quantities of cheap Danish poultry meat which are coming to this country—[Interruption.]

Order. We had better get on with exporting.

Would not the stopping of these imports be a great help in correcting our imbalance of trade with Denmark? [Interruption.]

While welcoming the right hon. Member for Bexley (Mr. Heath), I must say that I do not see any specially good reason for resisting these poultry imports more than any other type of imports.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make it a general practice of his Department to issue leaflets on any legislation and regulations concerning consumer protection.

I sympathise with this suggestion but each case must be considered on its merits.