asked the President of the Board of Trade what timetable for new developments he sets for proprietors who have been granted industrial de- velopment certificates; and if he will make a statement.

Industrial development certificates are normally issued on the basis that an application for necessary planning permission must be made within a period of 12 months. My right hon. Friend has at present no powers to attach conditions to an i.d.c. about the date by which a project should commence, but under the Industrial Development Bill we are seeking powers which will enable us to make such conditions in appropriate cases.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that there is a need to expedite the implementation of these certificates? Does he realise that, contrary to the general rule, in my own constituency unemployment has been rising until June, and will he try to do something very urgently to help these developments?

It is for these reasons that we have put the conditions in the Bill.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to encourage motor car manufacturers to show initiative in entering the Soviet market.

British motor manufacturers are already in direct touch with the Soviet authorities at high level about the supply of plant and know-how for the production of motor vehicles in the Soviet Union. I have made it plain to the Soviet authorities that British manufacturers are anxious to be informed about detailed Soviet requirements.

Is not my right hon. Friend concerned at the progress which Fiat and Renault have made in the Soviet market, and does he not think that he ought to be a little tougher with private enterprise?

I have discussed this in the last week both with the Soviet Minister of Trade and with Mr. George Harriman and Sir Donald Stokes. Leylands and B.M.C. are now pressing the Soviet authorities for details of their requirements.

To what extent did the President of the Board of Trade, when he was in Moscow, indicate to the Russians that the Government would be happy to welcome Soviet manufacturers in this country?

I do not think that that point arose, but we certainly should in appropriate circumstances.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what estimates he has made of the likely levels of investment in buildings, plant and machinery by manufacturing industry during 1966 and 1967; and if he will make a statement.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what the general prospects are for industrial investment in the coming year; and how industry's present investment intentions for 1966 and 1967 compare with their intentions as expressed at the end of last year.

Recent surveys suggest that industry now expects to spend less than was intended at the end of last year when it was estimated that investment would be about the same in 1966 and 1967 as in 1965. I do not believe that there will be any very large reduction.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the National Plan foresaw an increase in manufacturing investment at an annual rate of 7 per cent.? As that seems likely not to be realised, do the Government propose to take any special steps to remedy this?

If the hon. Gentleman will look at the National Plan again, he will see on page 56 that it was recognised that the short-term measures to assist the balance of payments and reduce the pressure of demand in overloaded sectors of the economy might lead to some temporary slackening in private investment.

Is it not rather sad that plans for industrial investment are lower than they have been for several years and does not this foreshadow a sort of forthcoming stop-go?

I do not think so because, as the hon. Gentleman knows, Government action cannot entirely eliminate the cyclical character of industrial investment. I would remind the hon. Gentleman that the selective measures used by the Government to control demand are not so far producing the sharp down-turn in manufacturing investment that was experienced in 1962–63.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that a decline in investment would be the most important economic feature of this year, with most serious economic consequences, and that other measures, however unpalatable, would be more palatable than this, including the quantitative restriction of imports?

Yes. I do not quarrel with my hon. Friend's view on this, but I would point out that the new grant scheme which has been introduced has not yet had time to exert much influence on investment, and I am confident that it will prove to be a more effective instrument than the old system, once manufacturers get accustomed to it.

In view of what my hon. Friend said about the average of 7 per cent. referred to in the National Plan, and the fact that for the first time since 1963 the Confederation of British Industry's investment intentions show that investment this year by manufacturing industry is expected to fall, surely the National Plan will have to be revised considerably, will it not?

I should not think so, but we will see how we go on.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is satisfied that the current trends in United Kingdom imports and exports will enable the import surcharge to be removed without recourse to import quotas; and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add to the Answer I gave the hon. Member on 19th May.

Does the right hon. Gentleman recall his Answer on that occasion, that he did not think there would be any likelihood of the imposition of import controls? Is he saying that, notwithstanding the high price of Zambian copper, and notwithstanding the consequences of the N.U.S. strike, he still stands by the assertion that we are not to have import controls this autumn?

With the best will in the world, and wanting to help the hon. Gentleman, I am afraid that I cannot add anything to what I said then.

How can the right hon. Gentleman reconcile that answer with the qualified blessing given by his right hon. Friend in answer to a question by his hon. Friend the Member for Ashton-under-Lyne (Mr. Sheldon) endorsing his view that quantitative restrictions would be a good thing?

My right hon. Friend did not endorse what my hon. Friend said. It was merely a question. My right hon. Friend said that he did not quarrel with my hon. Friend's right to hold those opinions.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what evidence he has of a deliberate holding back of imports to take advantage of the removal of the surcharge in November this year.

None.

If there is no evidence of a likely rush of imports in November, can the right hon. Gentleman give an assurance that the Government will not introduce import quotas and regulators on imports in November?

That is a different question. I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer given to a similar Question by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on Tuesday.

When we are considering this matter, surely it is reasonable for the right hon. Gentleman to give the House an assurance that there will not be an introduction of import quotas in the autumn? Surely this is a reasonable question to ask?

I have nothing to add to the Answer which the Chancellor gave on Tuesday.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what proposals he has for implementing the recommendations of the Johnston Committee on the protection of industrial designs.

At present none, Sir.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there is a considerable need for legislation to implement the recommendations of the Johnston Committee? A number of manufacturers, for example, those in the toy industry, are suffering considerable embarrassment through the copying of their designs by foreigners, and they are wondering whether it is worth while employing highly paid and qualified designers under the present circumstances.

I would not quarrel with a word of the hon. Gentleman's question, but the answer lies on the Order Paper. If hon. Members look at it, they will see that 10 questions to the Board of Trade contain requests for legislation. I assure the hon. Gentleman that it is not reluctance on our part which frustrates his request. We have not adapted our Parliamentary procedures to suit these demands.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has for ensuring that banking profits are fully disclosed.

I expect to propose, as I did in the Companies Bill introduced in the last Parliament, that the Board of Trade should have power by order to modify or repeal the provision in the Companies Act, 1948, which controls disclosure by banking companies.

Can my right hon. Friend say whether he intends to introduce that Bill in the current Session? Secondly, does he accept, in whole or in part, the validity of the banks' argument as to why they should not make full disclosure?

The answer to the second question is"Not fully ". The answer to the first is that I hope to legislate during the present Session.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has made of British exports held up at the ports and in this country by value and weight due to the seamen's strike.

None, Sir.

Is it not true that, although manufacturers have shipped their goods from their works, these goods have stayed on board ship during the period of the strike, and has not this accounted for large delays? I am surprised that the right hon. Gentleman has no knowledge of this.

It is true that the shipping strike has done serious harm to our exports and to our balance of payments, but it has, happily, not been as disastrous as some people foretold. As to the statistical measure of it, I do not think that we shall get a better one than the trade figures published yesterday.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will estimate the long-term effect of the seamen's strike on the 1966 trade balance so far.

No reliable estimate can be made of the long-term effect, which depends on our success in the coming months in recovering the losses caused by the strike.

Would not the right hon. Gentleman agree that the statistics published yesterday indicate the effects so far? Can he say whether new exports will vary at the rate provided in the National Plan?

I cannot say as to the next few months, because I think that we must expect the trade figures for two or three months to be distorted by the effects of the strike.

Has the Board of Trade made any estimate of the extent to which the £105 million trade gap for June was due to the seamen's strike and, if it has, although it must be approximate, may the House be told?

It was clear to everyone that the strike in June would affect exports more than imports. Therefore, I think that if the hon. Gentleman compares the June figures with those of May he can get as good an estimate as it is possible to get of the effects of the strike during June.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how much car exports have fallen as a result of the seamen's strike; what has been the increase to the home market; what effect this is having on the balance of payments; how long he estimates it will take for exports to be recaptured; and if he will make a statement.

The loss of exports cannot be accurately measured. I expect most of it to be quickly regained, and the eventual loss to the balance of payments to be small—on account of cars. Relatively few cars produced for export were sold in the home market during the strike.

Can the right hon. Gentleman give the House an assurance that he feels that we shall recapture the orders that we lost, or are some of them lost and gone for ever?

If the hon. Gentleman is referring to cars, which are mentioned in his Question, I am assured by the industry that there was a remarkably small loss of exports, except to Australia and New Zealand, and here I do not think that we need fear any serious loss.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what has been the effect on employment in the Highlands and Islands of the Government's control of office development.

By restricting the development of facilities for increased employment in London and Birmingham the Government's policy directly or indirectly benefits the rest of the country.

But as this control can have had no effect in the Highlands and Islands on unemployment and increasing development, will the right hon. Gentleman ask Treasury Ministers to stop adducing this as a regional development measure to help the Highlands in reply to complaints about the ill-effects on employment in the Highlands of the Selective Employment Tax?

The Control of Offices Bill is only one of the industrial measures which we have for the dispersal of industry and commerce. All the measures, taken together, are doing what the hon. Gentleman wants—perhaps not quickly enough.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will now announce plans to decimalise all measurements.

No, Sir. The first need is to bring about the wider use of the metric system in British industry.

Will my right hon. Friend endorse this in principle? Does not he agree that the arguments used by the Chancellor for his welcome reform of the currency, equally obtain in these cases?

That may be true, but I think that it would be very difficult to introduce decimalisation in this field at the same time as we introduced decimal currency. The effect on our traders of having to deal with both at the same time, and the effect on customers, would be rather formidable. I think that it would have one positive result—it would increase the sale of headache powders.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the development of nuclear propulsion for merchant ships.

I have nothing to add to the Answer my right hon. Friend the Minister of Technology gave on this subject to the Hon. Member for Manchester, Moss Side (Mr. Frank Taylor) on 5th July.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that a growing volume of informed opinion believes that progress cannot be made until we can get a prototype ship at sea? Are the Government working towards this objective?

Not at the moment. There is no economic nuclear marine propulsion unit yet in sight, and it would not be worth while for the Government to expend money on such a project.

Does the hon. Gentleman recollect the pressure which was exercised on the Conservative Government by the present Government when they were the opposition in relation to this whole proposition? What has happened to make the lack of progress so apparent?

I am not aware that the then Opposition pressed on the Government the need for a nuclear ship.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the introduction of new flight time limitations.

The Department hopes to announce its new proposals for flight time limitations within the next few weeks. They will be circulated to all interested parties for comment before the current legislation is amended.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that it was as long ago as November of last year that the then Minister of Aviation wrote to me saying that he expected that interim changes in flight time limitations would be introduced? Why have we had to wait for nine months for this to happen? Will the hon. Gentleman make sure that every opportunity is taken for consultation with the British Air Line Pilots' Association and others before these changes are put into effect?

We are trying to speed up this process. This is being done in the interests of safety. Many consultations are taking place, and we hope that the legislation can be prepared for late 1967 or early 1968. Consultations must take place in the meantime.

Will the hon. Gentleman try to see that the aircraft flying times are based on the assumption that aircraft always have to contend with a headwind?

Yes.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has recently received on the matters within his responsibility at Prestwick Airport; what replies he has sent; and if he will make a statement.

Letters on a variety of subjects concerning Prestwick Airport have been received over the past three months. If my hon. Friend would let me know his particular interest, I will write to him with details.

In view of the fact that there is some apprehension about the danger of the new Glasgow Airport developing to the detriment of Prestwick, will my hon. Friend state that he will ensure hat there will be a policy of coordination in this matter, and that each airport will be used for its own specific purpose—one for domestic flights and the other for international flights.

These two airports have complementary roles. One will cater for long-haul services and the other for short-and medium-haul services. I hope that the British Airports Authority and Glasgow Corporation will recognise that they are complementary, and that both will work together in a co-operative and friendly spirit.

Is my hon. Friend aware that at this time of year the fog comes down over Abbotsinch, which makes it impossible to get away? Is my hon. Friend aware that we will be prepared to receive all these people at Prestwick?

asked the President of the Board of Trade what progress has been made by his inspector investigating the affairs of Metrostore (Trading) Limited.

The inspector has made progress, but he cannot yet indicate when he expects to make his report to the Board of Trade. He has been delayed by his inability to get certain information.

Is the right hon. Gentle. man aware that I originally drew the attention of the Board of Trade to this case in December, 1963, and that a number of former employees of this company claim that they are owed considerable sums? Is he satisfied that his inspector has sufficient powers to be able to obtain the necessary information to conduct his investigation?

It has been recognised for some time that the powers of inspectors in this matter are in some respects defective, and this is one matter that we want to put right. Meanwhile, if the hon. Gentleman will allow me, I would prefer not to say who, in this case, is withholding information, and what legal processes the inspector may have to invoke in order to obtain it.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether he will consider the detailed analyses of comparative aircraft performance and economics prepared by Caledonian Airways before reaching a decision on the question of duty remission on the import of a Boeing 320C;

I considered all the relevant information provided by Caledonian Airways before making my decision.

Is the President of the Board of Trade aware that even though he thinks that he has considered all the relevant information, Caledonian Airways do not think so. If the public is to have confidence in Ministerial judgment of a complex question of this kind., should not at least one of the major parties to that decision have confidence in it?

According to the legislation, passed by the party opposite on this point, I merely have to be satisfied that similar aircraft—not identical aircraft—are available, and I was satisfied of that.

In view of the fact that B.O.A.C. was permitted to import an identical aircraft during the earlier part of this year for freight purposes, when British United Airways were flying the VCIO aircraft for freight, will the right hon. Gentleman see that independent airways and public corporations are treated in the same manner?

Yes, but that was a matter of freight, in respect of which the considerations are quite different. I do not know whether the hon. Member realises that the United States charges import duty on our aircraft entering that country and I do not see why we should not do the same.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give the figure showing United Kingdom imports of manufactures as a percentage of total imports in the years 1964 and 1965, respectively.

14·7 and 15·3 per cent.

Does the right hon.Gentleman agree that this represents a very small proportion of our total imports, certainly compared with the imports of manufactures in comparable industrial countries? Does he agree that we should encourage these imports as a natural corollary to our expanding exports?

The proportion has been increasing, as the hon. Member probably knows. In fact, there was a rather rapid growth over the last 10 years-18 per cent. a year—and this reflects the increasing trade between industrial countries. I think that this will continue.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the increase in the imports of miscellaneous manufactured articles during recent months, he proposes to take any emergency action.

No, Sir.

In view of the fact that this class of imports has increased by 375 per cent. during the last five years, will the right hon. Gentleman take action to prevent this very great danger to our balance of trade?

No, Sir. As I said in my previous reply, this is a tendency in the trade of industrial countries, one with another, and the right hon. Gentleman is correct in saying that the increase has been substantial in recent years—certainly in the last 10 to 12 years—and I think that it will go on.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he proposes to take further to publicise the new system of investment grants.

A booklet explaining the scheme in more detail will be published as soon as possible after the Bill has become law and this will be given wide publicity I intend also to announce in the autumn full details of the administration of the scheme. Application forms will be accompanied by guidance notes indicating how the forms are to be completed.

Does the right hon. Gentleman recognise that with the further intensification and indefinite prolongation of the credit squeeze, industrial concerns must know when they can expect investment grants to be paid if expenditure on new plant and machinery is not to be further heavily curtailed?

I agree that there is an obligation on us to make the details of this scheme plain as soon as we can, but we cannot do that until the Bill receives the Royal Assent, and that partly depends upon the Opposition as well as upon the Government.

In view of the fact that the Minister is expecting about 1,000 applications a day, what provision is he making to deal with these, and what sort of delay does he expect between an application and its acceptance for grant?

I have been building up the organisation to do this job for the past six months. Its offices are dispersed in the way that I have already explained. We are confident that it will be able to cope with the task.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that industrial firms in development areas in Scotland are finding that the new system is worth about 50 per cent. less to them than the old system was? In the light of that, will he stop saying that the new system is more valuable than the old one?

No, Sir. The hon. Member is wholly wrong. I would refer him to the detailed Written Answer that I gave on 1st March.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will seek to ensure, by legislation or otherwise, that commercial concerns are denied the chance to describe themselves as consumer organisations.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will introduce legislation to prevent misleading use of the description consumer council.

No, Sir. But my right hon. Friend will try to ensure, by means of his powers under the Registration of Business Names Act and the Companies Act, that concerns are not registered by names which might mislead by suggesting a connection with well-known organisations for consumer protection.

Is it not well known that at least two bodies which have no connection at all with consumer protection are masquerading as such? Would it not be useful if the Registrar had powers to prevent companies using these names even when they have been registered?

There is a great deal in what the hon. Gentleman says, but unfortunately the Act at the moment does not allow the Registrar to remove names which, in the opinion of many people, might be considered undesirable.

Will my right hon. Friend therefore impress upon his right hon. colleagues the importance of securing the early introduction of a Bill to amend company law?

Yes.

While my right hon. Friend is considering this matter, will he also have another look at the so-called Advertising Standards Authority—a body set up by advertising business interests and wholly financed by them, the title of which is totally misleading?

That is another question.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what progress he has made in implementing the recommendations of the Geddes Committee's inquiry into the British shipbuilding industry; and if he will make a statement.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to what extent Her Majesty's Government has now decided to implement the recommendations of the Geddes Report on the Shipbuilding Industry.

My right hon. Friend hopes to make a statement before the Recess.

Why did the Government rush the preparation of this Report and its presentation in March this year if they were going to sit on it for so long? Are the Government aware of the urgent need for the expenditure of money in our shipbuilding yards in order to provide such things as building docks, which are available in Japan and to our competitors elsewhere? Will he expedite this matter?

We are keeping exactly to the time table laid down by the Geddes Committee.

Would my right hon. Friend note how well Fairfield's is proceeding under a form of public ownership?

Yes, Sir.

Will the hon. Gentleman give an undertaking that any arrangement he enters into will not be of such a nature that the public taxpayers pay all the bills and the private shareholders get all the profits?

Certainly, Sir.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will appoint inspectors to investigate the affairs of the Company D.A.W.S. Limited pursuant to Section 165(d) (ii) of the Companies Act, 1948, following iregularities by employees, in view of the fact that persons managing its affairs have been guilty of misconduct towards its members.

A creditor has presented a petition to the court for the compulsory liquidation of the company. If a winding-up order is made, the Senior Official Receiver will investigate the company's affairs. A separate inquiry by an inspector is not, therefore, appropriate.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that serious irregularities have been reported in the Press concerning the conduct of some employees? Would he, therefore, under the companies law, seek out who is responsible and appoint an inspector as soon as possible?

There is no need at this stage to appoint an inspector. The court has fixed the hearing of the petition for 25th July and I understand that the company will not oppose the making of a winding-up order. As the matter is now before the court, it would not be proper for me to discuss the company's affairs.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will take steps to accelerate the signing of the new Protocol to the United Kingdom-New Zealand Trade Agreement, so that its details can be scrutinised by hon. Members as soon as possible.

Full details of the results of the recent trade talks were made available to the House on 12th July.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that my Question refers to the Protocol which he promise to publish? Will he hurry up and publish it? Is he aware that we recognise the great importance of the United Kingdom market to New Zealand, but that at the same time it would appear that this rules out the possibility of British membership of the Common Market up to 1972? Would he not agree that this is a serious situation which conflicts with Government policy?

The records of understandings have already been placed in the Library. The Protocol, which is a legal document, takes rather longer to prepare. We on this side who are in favour of an expanding Commonwealth trade note that apparently that is no longer the policy of hon. Gentlemen opposite.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he sought the views of the Governments of the European Economic Community countries on the New Zealand Trade agreement, in view of the Government's intention to negotiate for membership of the European Economic Community.

No, Sir.

Although we are all in favour of expanding Commonwealth trade, is not the right hon. Gentleman aware that it is Government policy to join the European Economic Community and that he must consult them and get their agreement to the course of action which he is taking? Is he further aware that he is making impossible the fulfilment of the Government's policy to join the Common Market?

We do not have to obtain the permission of countries on the Continent about how we conduct our policy in the Commonwealth.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is satisfield that the provisions of the recent trade agreement with New Zealand are consistent with British membership of the European Economic Community; and if he will make a statement.

Yes, Sir.

Does the right hon. Gentleman appreciate that every hon. Member understands that New Zealand will need special trade arrangements when we join the Common Market and that the six nations must accept it? But is he aware that his failure in his statement even to mention the Common Market negotiations throws doubt on the genuineness of the Government's intention to join?

No. Sir. We have repeatedly said in all statements on the Common Market negotiations that we intend to safeguard Commonwealth interests. This agreement shows that we mean to keep that pledge.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he discussed with the New Zealand Minister of Overseas Trade the current soundings being made by Her Majesty's Government with a view to a British application to join the European Economic Community.

This was not on the agenda of the bilateral talks I had with Mr. Marshal.. The subject was discussed at the meeting of Commonwealth Trade Minister; which Mr. Marshall attended.

Does this not prove the point of my previous supplementary question, that the Government cannot be serious about this intention if they carry out negotiations with New Zealand without even discussing how this will be affected by our joining the Common Market?

No, Sir. It proves nothing of the kind, as every hon. Member can see.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that probably a majority of hon. Members on this side were glad to hear what the hon. Member opposite said and agree with him?

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that, following the abolition of resale price maintenance, some manufacturers will not honour their own guarantees if the goods have been sold below the manufacturers recommended price; and what action he will take by legislation or otherwise to deal with this situation.

The Resale Prices Act, 1964, does not affect the rights of a manufacturer to give or withhold a guarantee for his product. However, I shall be glad to consider any evidence my hon. Friend may have that refusal to give guarantees has increased since the Act came into force.

Is my hon. Friend aware that the use of the term"recommended price"is rendering the Resale Prices Act largely ineffective and, in such cases where the normal guarantee is subject to a condition of sale, almost completely ineffective? Cannot his officials track down these cases He has enough of them.

We may have enough of them, but we cannot get the kind of evidence which my hon. Friend thinks we should have. If he has any evidence we should be glad to look at it.

Would the Minister of State agree that this would be an outrageous way of subverting the intentions of the Resale Prices Act? Would he see whether he has adequate powers to refer any case to the Monopolies Commission? If not, would he seek to take powers from the House?

We have gone carefully into the question of powers and the Law Commission has set up a working party to consider exclusion clauses in contracts, which will cover the question of guarantees. We will await its report and act upon it.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, in view of the success of the Beirut Hospital Exhibition, what plans he has for similar exhibitions; and when and where they will be staged.

Discussions are taking place with the trade organisations concerned and the Ministry of Health about a number of promising possibilities, but I am not yet ready to give details.

Will the hon. Gentleman bear in mind that Amalgamated Development Limited, which initiated the Beirut Exhibition, will very much welcome this news?

Yes, it was an excellent joint venture. A good deal of trade flowed from it and we are considering another six abroad.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether British-Nigerian trade for the first quarter of 1966 showed an improvement over the equivalent quarter of the previous year.

There was no significant change between the two quarters.

Even so, would not the Minister agree that the fact that, despite the difficulties over law and order earlier this year, trade has been maintained, is an encouragement to the new Nigerian Government?

Yes, Sir.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps are being taken to assist in building ocean platforms to help navigation and communications by aircraft on the North Atlantic routes, particulars of which have been sent to him; and if he will make a statement.

The implementation of this very promising scheme would involve countries on both sides of the Atlantic, and is also, in our view, largely dependent on the willingness of transatlantic operators, as the principal beneficiaries, to bear the bulk of the cost. My Department is continuing consultations about it with the International Air Transport Association and with the other administrations concerned.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will implement paragraph 416 of the Jenkins Report and seek power to revoke the Companies (Shipping Companies Exemption) Order, 1948.

I would ask my hon. Friend to await the proposals I shall make when it is possible to introduce a Companies Bill.

I thank my right hon. Friend for that Answer. Will he not agree that the secrecy aggravated the distrust during the recent dispute? What has the public interest to gain from this secrecy?

We believe that amendments of the law should be made and it is our intention to make them in the forthcoming legislation.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will introduce legislation to prevent banks and issuing houses including a proviso in rights issue documents refusing to accept cheques drawn on any Northern Ireland bank when offering a rights issue to their existing shareholders living in Northern Ireland.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will introduce legislation to prevent banks and issuing houses including a proviso in offers for sale documents refusing to accept cheques drawn on any Northern Ireland bank.

This is a matter for the companies and banks concerned and I see no reason to intervene.

I thank the Minister for his letter, with particular reference to the company I had in mind, but is he aware of the considerable concern in Northern Ireland at the practice of excluding Northern Ireland cheques? Would he consider consulting the Issuing Houses Asociation to see if this temporary defect cannot be ironed out without legislation?

If this is a temporary defect, I do not think we need legislation. As I understand it, it is very unusual for a rights issue to exclude Northern Ireland cheques. As we have explained to the hon. Member, the cause here seems to be the Irish banks' strike.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a statement on the results of his discussions with the British Travel Association concerning the method by which he is to encourage hotels to attract more overseas visitors.

I have nothing to add at this stage to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave to the hon. Member on 29th June last.

Would not the hon. Gentleman agree that it would have been much simpler if the Government had decided either to restore investment grants or resist the folly of the Selective Employment Tax?

No, Sir, and it would have been very expensive.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what has been the total Government contribution to projects in development areas since January, 1965; how much employment has thereby been created; and what is the total state outlay per head of those found employment.

The total assistance offered by the Board of Trade under the Local Employrnent Acts to projects in development districts between 1st January, 1965, and 31st May, 1966, was £58·5 million. It is estimated that 117,500 jobs will result-2 cost per head of £498.

Would not the right hon. Gentleman agree that we would get a much better return on the investment of public money in this regard if the areas were concentrated more than they are under the Government's present proposals?

No, certainly not. That experiment was tried by the previous Conservative Government and it had very poor results.

Does the right hon. Gentleman recognise that the new system of investment grants is substantially less favourable to industry than the previous system of allowances, and will he stop quoting"phoney"figures— [Interruption.]—and instead pay attention to the Written Answer which I received on 1st July?

As I have repeatedly explained to the hon. Gentleman, it is his figures are are"phoney ". [Interruption.] He will be pleased to know that since we introduced this scheme there has been a great increase in the number of applications for factories in the development areas.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the Question to which the hon. Member for Wanstead and Woodford (Mr. Patrick Jenkin) referred and to which he received a Written Answer on 1st July posed seven conditions, each of which could have been phrased differently, and that it represented an artificial exercise in comparing investment grants with investment allowances?

Yes, Sir. That is one of the phoney elements, but not the only one.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to increase the number of civil air pilots available for British airlines.

The recruitment and training of civil air pilots for British airlines is primarily the responsibility of the prospective employer. The Government contribute, however, up to 25 per cent. of the cost of training properly selected students at one of the courses approved by my Department. In addition my Department is in consultation with the various interests concerned with a view to increasing the supply.

In wishing the right hon. Gentleman well in dealing with these important matters, may I ask whether he is aware that the first part of his Answer is highly unsatisfactory, that B.O.A.C. is now working with 60 pilots below its normal strength and that a number of pilots are volunteering to go to American airlines? Will he do all he can to put this important matter right, since he has the overall responsibility and cannot get rid of it to the employers?

There is a world shortage of pilots and many foreign airlines are advertising in Britain for pilots. I assure the hon. Gentleman that we are in consultation with the airlines, the training organisations and the pilots associations to estimate the total requirement for pilots particularly in the next five or so years and to examine the extent to which the existing training facilities need to be augmented. Training is just as important as anything else.

Would the hon. Gentleman make sure that ex-Service pilots from the Royal Air Force and the Fleet Air Arm are given adequate seniority when they try to join the airlines, remembering that otherwise their experience and the investment which has been made in their training will count for nought, particularly since the present two years' seniority is not commensurate with their experience?

That is one of the problems we must consider. The R.A.F. and R.N. supply of pilots has drained away and we are now having to recruit and train right from the beginning.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the fact that the present United Kingdom-Australian Trade Agreement is terminable on six months' notice, he will open negotiations with the Australian Government with the aim of securing a more lasting agreement.

It has been agreed hitherto not to re-negotiate this Agreement until the Kennedy Round has been completed.

In view of the value of the Anglo-New Zealand agreement, will the right hon. Gentleman make it quite clear to Australia that he would open negotiations for a longer-term agreement if Australia so desired?

I fully agree with the hon. Gentleman that the New Zealand Agreement is of value both to us and to New Zealand. We have not so far had a request from the Australian Government for a similar agreement, but if we do we will, of course, consider it.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what consultations he has had with Commonwealth Governments regarding the effects on Commonwealth trade of Her Majesty's Government's policy of exploring the possibility of joining the Common Market.

There was some general discussion of the subject at the Commonwealth Trade Ministers' Conference in London in June.

Has a common position yet been adopted? Have the obstacles from this source been analysed and, if so, will the right hon. Gentleman place a document in the Library showing what the obstacles are?

I do not think that I could say more than that we have assured the Commonwealth countries that their interests would be safeguarded and that they would be fully consulted in any such negotiations which took place.

asked the Prime Minister if he will now make a statement on the date and place of the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference.

asked the Prime Minister when the next conference of Commonwealth Prime Ministers will be held; and where the conference will take place.

I would refer the hon. Members to the Answer I gave on 5th July to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Oxford (Mr. Luard).

Can the right hon. Gentleman say how many Prime Ministers or Heads of State have agreed to attend this Conference? In view of his undertaking at the last conference, six months ago, that he would settle with Mr. Smith in weeks rather than months, does he expect to reach a settlement before the next conference?

I do not know how many Prime Ministers, Heads of Government, will be coming on the date fixed, which was the date generally most convenient for the majority of Commonwealth Prime Ministers, having regard to their Parliamentary commitments. In regard to the last conference, it certainly is a fact that our hopes were not realised, but I have nothing to add to the last statement which I made about the situation in Rhodesia.

Will the Prime Minister be raising at the conference the proposal, made as a matter of urgency in the spring of 1964, for a Commonwealth preference in the awarding of civil engineering and public works contracts, and what has happened to this idea?

This was raised by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade at the recent Commonwealth Trade Ministers' Conference. A report from that conference will be made to the Prime Ministers' Conference so that we will be able to pursue the matter further there.

asked the Prime Minister what steps he is taking to improve and extend the means of communication between Her Majesty's Government and the Press.

This matter is kept under review and if my hon. Friend has any suggestions to make I would be happy to consider them.

Does not my right hon. Friend agree with the general principle that the greater the amount of official disclosure, the less chance there is of unofficial leakage? Will he seek to take steps to reduce the amount of leakage, compared with what took place under the previous Conservative Administration, remembering that there was a good deal of concern in those days and that we do not want it to be repeated in the forthcoming years?

I think that, in general, I agree with the proposition that the more factual news put out the less the tendency for leakages. However, there is a limit to what can be said publicly when, considering the public interest, it is best served by not saying too much. I am afra d that even if there were very much fuller statements of news, there would still be leaks under any Government and a great deal of invention of facts that never were facts.

In the interests of better Press relations, would the Prime Minister instruct iimself and his Ministers not to make statements about grave issues, such as E.L.D.O., South Arabia and arms to Australia and the United States, which are virtually contradictory and are wholly inaccurate?

They are not virtually contradictory and wholly inaccurate and, on all of those questions, we have made full statements to the House.

Can the Prime Minister yet tell us the results of the inquiry which he himself instituted into the alleged leak about E.L.D.O.?

No, Sir. I am not in a position to do that. Certain lines have been followed up and I have had an interim report. As soon as I am in a position to do so, I will certainly inform the right hon. Gentleman.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is satisfied that the post of Head of Defence Sales has been established in the most suitable Department; and if he will make a statement.

Yes, Sir.

Would the Prime Minister perhaps consider making one Minister responsible for co-ordinating policy statements on arms deals? Does he recall saying, on the one hand, that we were not, either directly or indirectly, supplying arms to the Vietnam war, while, on the other hand, very shortly afterwards he said that there had never been any restriction or conditions applying to arms supplied to Australia? Could he help us to clear up the confusion that exists about this matter?

The position in regard to Australia is that we are traditionally one of her greatest suppliers of arms, although this would represent a very small proportion of the military deployment of arms in Vietnam, and it would be impracticable, on any arms which we send to Australia, to tag or label them,"Not to be used in Vietnam ".

How does the right hon. Gentleman ensure, in accordance with his statement of 17th May, that arms do not indirectly reach Vietnam from this sources?

We are not supplying them indirectly or directly to Vietnam. [Interruption.] If arms are required specifically for use in Vietnam, we do not supply them so far as Australia is concerned but, as I said, if we have a long and continuing contract for a particular type of arms, we could not put tags on them and say,"This particular part of this supply.…"— [Interruption.]