asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is now able to announce the result of his inquiries about reform of the law relating to hall-marking of gold and silver wares.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will now state his decision on the future of hall-marking.

We are satisfied that reform of the law should be based on compulsory hall-marking of gold, silver and platinum wares, with limited exemptions. Extensive consultations on the complex details will be required before we can propose legislation.

Is the hon. Lady aware that her statement about the retention of compulsory hall-marking is welcome as far as it goes? But is she further aware that reform of the law in other respects is becoming urgent? Can she say when legislation will come forward?

The retention of compulsory hall-marking will be of use not only to the consumer, but to the industry as a whole. We are discussing points of detail with the industry and I do not think that we can estimate how long this will take, since they are so complex. It would be better to take sufficient time to get the right answers.

Is the hon. Lady aware that her statement will be generally welcomed? Will she also agree that the hall-marking system is indisputably the best protection for the public?

The system has survived for hundreds of years, which seems to indicate that it is a satisfactory one. There are still problems and I would not like it supposed that this is something which does not need looking at from time to time. It is still possible to mislead with hall-marking as well as to assist.

Can the hon. Lady give any hint of the type of goods she classifies as the limited exceptions?

Detailed discussions are going on and I can give only a broad indication to the hon. Lady. There are still some things to be settled, like the treatment of articles in which precious metal is combined with other components. It is a very involved subject.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state the result of his recent meeting with the committee on invisible exports.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what action Her Majesty's Government now propose to take on the recommendations contained in the report, "Britain's Invisible Earnings", published in October, 1967; and if he will make a statement.

The meeting gave me an opportunity to explain the increased attention which the Board of Trade will be giving to the promotion of exports of services. Action has already been taken on many of the recommendations and consideration is being given to a number of others.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the net contribution of private invisible earnings to the balance of payments is running at the moment at twice the rate of the favourable balance of payments as a whole? In his capacity as Minister responsible for invisible exports, will he lend the greatest weight, in the consultations he will be having with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, particularly to the recent paper put to him by the Committee on Invisible Exports about the tax burden?

I will certainly consider what the hon. Gentleman has said. It is right that the Committee should ask me to submit the paper on taxation to my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer. I understand that the Committee will be submitting one on the selective employment tax. Invisibles are running at a favourable balance of an average of £40 million a month.

Will the right hon. Gentleman take the opportunity to congratulate the earners of these exports on their magnificent achievement despite the crippling restrictions of the Government?

Despite the restrictions to which the hon. Gentleman refers, they are doing extremely well and I did congratulate them when I was at the Committee.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has made of the rise of United Kingdom export prices in 1969 compared with those of the United Kingdom's major industrial competitors, from information available from international sources.

Between the last quarter of 1968 and the third quarter of 1969, United Kingdom export prices rose by 1½ per cent. and those of our main competitors by about 4 per cent. on average.

Does not this prove that the increases in prices in this country are not our prerogative but part of a worldwide movement against which we seem to be doing rather well?

We are doing well in spite of the slight increase in prices there has been.

Will the right hon. Gentleman apply himself to the further increase in steel prices announced yesterday, which, for example, has raised the average price of motor cars by a further £8 after the average increase of £12 a few months ago, making a total increase of £20 at an average per car, all of which renders a major industry increasingly uncompetitive abroad?

That is not related to the Question on the Order Paper and what I quoted. United Kingdom export prices rose a further 1 per cent. between the third quarter of 1969 and the end of last November, owing mainly to world prices for metals used in manufacturing having risen.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the number of staff employed by his Department before and after the 1969 reorganisation, respectively.

The number was 18,354 before and 16,275 after the changes in Departmental responsibility announced in October.

Do these figures represent a reduction of staff which is proportionately more than or less than or about the same as the reduction in responsibilities?

The responsibility of Ministers has increased since the 2,000 civil servants left the Department; we also lost a Minister of State.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will consult with the National Farmers' Union and with the National Farmers' Union horticultural sections before any further bilateral trade agreements are negotiated with Eastern European countries.

The Board of Trade consult the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food before inter-Governmental negotiations affecting agricultural and horticultural interests take place. The Ministry are in close touch with the National Farmers' Union who are able to express their views at any time. I see no reason to change these arrangements.

Can we not have definite formal negotiations with the N.F.U., since bilateral trade agreement negotiations usually take place only once a year, normally in March and April? Surely a little formal consultation between the Department and the farmers' interests would improve the good will or perhaps lessen the bad will there is at present between the Department and the farmers.

Some of the bad will, as the hon. Gentleman calls it, which exists between the farmers and my Department has been artificially engendered through, in many cases, hon. Members opposite, who have chosen not to give accurate information about the position of the Board of Trade.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why he has con- cluded an agreement with Romania exchanging approximately £30 million worth of horticultural imports with irrigation equipment exports, in view of the effect of these exports on British horticultural interests.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what effect the recent agricultural trade deal with Romania is expected to have on imports to the United Kingdom of horticultural products from that country.

These contracts were entered into by private British firms and were not inter-Governmental agreements. The bulk of the foodstuffs concerned consists of non-horticultural products. In so far as horticultural products are involved, some of them may already be imported without quantitative restriction; the others may be imported into the United Kingdom only within the quotas for these products in force at the time.

Two questions arise. First, the quotas go up every year and, therefore, if the irrigation equipment is sold, there will still be more goods to compete with us. Surely the hon. Lady must take note of that. Secondly, the hon. Lady says that this was negotiated by private firms. Do not the Government have some surveillance of these negotiations?

Is the hon. Gentleman seriously suggesting that the Government should consult interested parties like the N.F.U. about arrangements to which they are not a party? If he is, it represents an extraordinary break with commercial tradition. The Ministry of Agriculture is in close touch with the N.F.U. and is well aware of its views.

Is the hon. Lady aware that, of the list of the horticultural commodities imported from Romania, according to the Board of Trade Journal, quotas for 10 out of the 15 categories have been sharply increased and this is causing real concern to growers and may also cause concern to the British taxpayers, who are financing the Horticulture Improvement Scheme?

I am interested to learn that peaches, melons, grapes and aubergines constitute a menace to the horticulture of Holland-with-Boston.

There is in many cases a totally artificial campaign. We are a trading country. We enter into agreements on a world trade basis and we are perfectly capable of looking after the interests of our home producers.

Is my hon. Friend aware that people in the North of England are pleased that they are able to export plant and equipment to Romania to enable the Romanians to earn the currency to buy these goods? People in the North are glad to have this employment.

Hon. Members opposite normally congratulate us when we obtain large export orders in engineering. This is a very large order for irrigation equipment which will be of enormous benefit not only to our industries supplying the goods, but to those who will be providing the services.

asked the President of the Board of Trade having regard to large English fruit crops in 1969, what steps he is taking in 1970 to protect growers in the Vale of Evesham and elsewhere against the consequences of foreign, notably West European, dumped imports, and to support a policy of import substitution.

Growers have the protection of the tariff and, for apples and pears, of import quotas. They also receive financial and other help to enable them to compete more effectively with imports. The Board of Trade will consider promptly any antidumping application by the industry.

How does the hon. Lady account for the fact that every branch of the N.F.U. in every horticultural area of Britain unanimously condemns the Board of Trade for the fact that, during 1969, foreign horticultural produce has been dumped here in excessive quantities at artificially low prices, generally subsidised by the country of origin, which is destroying the British growers' market? What does she intend to do about it?

Does the hon. Gentleman seriously believe the good old load of British rubbish that he peddles around in Pershore Market? He has the means of coming to us and pointing out those horticultural products which have been dumped. There has been not one application to us to use the new powers we have had since the Amendment to the anti-dumping laws for horticultural products was made in 1968. If he has evidence that we are allowing dumped goods into the country, it is time he did something about it himself.

Is my hon. Friend aware that the official Opposition spokesman on these matters last weekend deplored Government intervention in industry? How does this square with the interventions made by the hon. Member for Worcestershire, South (Sir G. Nabarro)? Is she further aware that this House and the housewives are getting thoroughly tired of the enmity displayed by the hon. Gentleman against the interests of the housewives?

I am grateful to my hon. Friend the Member for Fife, West (Mr. William Hamilton) for those remarks, because it is noticeable that those who frequently talk about increased prices for the farmers do not point out that this would mean increased prices to the housewife. I should like to know whether this is the general policy which the party opposite wants to follow.

Is the hon. Lady aware that it is, in our view, the Government's basic job to protect all suppliers in this country, be they agricultural or manufacturing, against unfair competition and dumping? That is what is at issue behind the Questions put by my hon. Friend the Member for Worcestershire, South (Sir G. Nabarro).

In that case, as I have pointed out not only to the hon. Member for Worcestershire, South but also to the right hon. Gentleman, since the amendment to the anti-dumping legislation went through, hon. Members opposite have had at their disposal a means of bringing an anti-dumping case. We will take action as soon as we have prima facie evidence, but it is not something that hon. Members opposite have chosen to do.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will now make a statement on his consultations during December 1969 on all trade matters, and Great Britain's application to join the European Economic Community, with the countries of the European Free Trade Association.

There have been no further consultations at Ministerial level since the E.F.T.A. meeting in Geneva in November attended by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and myself but there have been discussions on trade questions and on the enlargement of the European Economic Community at the regular weekly meetings of the E.F.T.A. Council at official level. In addition, I visited Helsinki in December and discussed these matters with Finnish Ministers.

Which version of the discussions between the Government and the E.E.C. does the right hon. Gentleman impart to the E.F.T.A. countries—the version of what is said in Brussels, the version of what is said in this House, or the version of the Prime Minister's consultations in Washington, as each of these versions is contradictory and different?

We do not indulge in the buffoonery of the hon. Member. The version is that of truth and honesty.

Would my right hon. Friend not agree that, if these negotiations are successful, the hon. Member for Worcestershire, South (Sir G. Nabarro) will not be able to put down Questions like No. 11, because other countries will be able to dump all the food they want on us then?

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the fact that the intention of Section 17 of the Companies Act, 1967, is being nullified in many cases by failure of directors to differentiate between the various classes of businesses of their companies, he will now introduce legislation to clarify how these differences should be recognised.

I will consider this suggestion when the time comes to prepare further companies legislation.

Would not my hon. Friend agree that this is very necessary, because it is not much use having the legislation on the Statute Book unless there is some means of enforcing it? Whenever I have drawn a case to the attention of my right hon. Friend he has required that firm to carry out the provisions of the Act as in the case of Slater Walker and, now that I have pointed out the case of Metal Box this afternoon, no doubt he will be required to do this. Have I to go through the entire company list, one by one to get the law carried out? Should not more effective action be taken?

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for bringing information to the attention of the Board of Trade. I would point out that although the Monopolies Commission recommendation could be appropriate to conglomerates, it could also mean that we might get less information about companies with less clearly diversified activities. It is something which we want to examine first, not just leap forward.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will introduce legislation to bring property bonds within the scope of the Prevention of Fraud (Investments) Act, 1958.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what proposals he has for bringing property bonds within the scope of the Prevention of Fraud (Investments) Acts.

The Board of Trade is discussing this matter with interested bodies.

Is it not about time that the sales of property bonds were subject to the same rules affecting the sales of unit trusts and ordinary shares on the Stock Exchange? Is the hon. Lady aware that many people feel that small investors are not protected on such issues as the valuation of the underlying properties, their basis of valuation, management charges and gearing? As this is an important matter, can we expect action quickly?

I would agree with the hon. Gentleman that there are some aspects of property bonds that need examining, and we are examining them. Nevertheless, the sort of legislation that already exists might not necessarily meet the points he has in mind. We are consulting now with the Associated Scottish Life Offices and the Life Offices Association and are hopeful that this will produce useful information.

Is the hon. Lady aware that this is an area where the entire City believes that it is appropriate for the Government to intervene to prevent fraud? Why is she being so slow to intervene when it is the Government's job and yet so quick to intervene when it is not?

I will accept the point made by the hon. Gentleman, that it is rare that the City gives wholehearted agreement to Government intervention. What I would add is that we are getting on with this right now but we must take time to talk to the people concerned. If we came to this House with legislation which had not been agreed on the right basis, he would be the first person to complain.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will now make a statement about his policy with regard to legislation in respect of inertia selling.

I look forward to the debate on my hon. Friend's Bill next Friday, which will enable us thoroughly to explore the possibilities of useful action in this field.

In view of the excellent Bill which is before the House, and as I am a considerably interested party, is the hon. Lady aware that I await, with no lack of interest her remarks on Friday?

The whole problem of inertia selling is one which concerns many consumers. I am sure that we will have a useful debate.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the frequency in 1969 of British Overseas Airways Corporation scheduled flights on the North Atlantic route between the United States of America and the United Kingdom.

The published timetables in the ABC World Airways Guide, a copy of which is in the Library, show that the weekly passenger services frequencies in each direction were 48 last winter, 71 in the summer and 54 this winter. There were nine weekly all-cargo flights throughout the year.

Does not the Minister find these figures disappointingly small, especially in view of the fact that yet another American airline has just been licensed on the North Atlantic? When does he plan to introduce the recommendation of the Edwards Committee, that a further British operator should be licensed on the Atlantic, preferably an independent?

The White Paper on the Edwards Report has been published and the Government are moving towards drafting their proposals. On the first part of the hon. Gentleman's supplementary question I would say that we now command 25 per cent, of the frequencies across the transatlantic route, and we are in discussion with the United States Government about increasing this.

Is my right hon. Friend aware of the great increase in scheduled services being introduced this year by B.O.A.C., to many places in the United States by direct flights, including one to match the new American carrier mentioned by the hon. Gentleman? Would this not help to increase the share that B.O.A.C. already holds?

It may well be the case and this will form part of the discussions that we are having with the Americans.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware of the pressures from scheduled operators, particularly in America, to restrict charter operations to protect scheduled operators with large capacity aircraft?

I am aware of this attitude and it is one reason why we are having negotiations.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what studies he has made of the increase in invisible earnings to be achieved by the granting of selective employment tax rebate to the service industries which are direct earners of foreign currency.

This question will no doubt be considered by Professor Reddaway in his study of the effects of S.E.T.

Until such studies are completed is it not a fact that people in this country who are held down by higher taxes and higher prices as a result of devaluation should resent the Government casting away the advantages of devaluation by imposing a surcharge on invisible exports?

I would remind the hon. Gentleman that we have not yet received any convincing evidence that S.E.T. is adversely affecting invisible exports.

Surely S.E.T. has increased the costs of those earning invisible exports and this must make it more difficult. The Minister is too complacent. It is no good saying that these people are doing well despite it—they would do better if the tax was taken off.

The right hon. Gentleman will be well aware why we introduced it—the service industries seemed to be under-taxed compared with manufacturing industries. It has been imposed and in spite of that it—[interruption.]—does not seem to have adversely affected the performance of these industries.

Order. The amplification operator must see that we do not get these spontaneous interruptions. They are not interventions by hon. Members.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has now considered the proposals submitted to him for the siting of a national exhibition centre; what conclusions he has reached; and if he will make a statement.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will now make an announcement about the national exhibition centre.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will now state the proposed size, date of commencement of building, and location of the national exhibition centre.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will now make a statement on the siting of a national exhibition centre.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what recent consideration he has given to the siting of the national exhibition centre; and if he will make a statement.

I have decided that the proposal by the Birmingham City Council and the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and Industry offers the best possibility of a viable development within a reasonable time scale, giving at the same time substantial and continuing interest by representatives of both industry and commerce and of local interests. I am therefore today giving the Birmingham Council and Chamber the firm assurances of support they require before proceeding in detail with the necessary planning procedures and financial and development discussions. Subject to a satisfactory outcome, Government support will be assured by means of the appropriate financial authorisations and provisions.

Would not the right hon. Gentleman agree that the fundamental purpose of a national exhibition centre is to increase earnings, and if this gamble on siting the centre outside London were to fail then the London area would lose earnings from overseas visitors and the Midlands would lose the earnings from goods which they would have sold if the centre had been more central?

I am not so pessimistic. I do not think that it is a gamble and I do not think it will fail. Britain is tending to be by-passed by European countries. When I go abroad, visiting major trade exhibitions I do not go to Bonn or Berlin, I go to Frankfurt, Hanover, Dusseldorf. I do not go to Rome, I go to Turin or Milan. There is no reason why people should not recognise that sites exist north of London.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the potential site is right in the middle of green belt, that the major developer interested has already gone on record in the Birmingham Post as saying that London is the proper place and that the decision he has announced today is as bad as Stanstead and will be another white elephant for the Government?

The hon. Gentleman should realise first that there is only one positive proposal before me: it is for Birmingham or nothing. It is time that we had extra exhibition facilities in Britain. In London there is no allowance at all for planning, it would just congest London more. Secondly, it is for the G.L.C. to put forward proposals. It has not done so. No financial provisions have been put forward whatever.

May I congratulate the Minister on his courage and wisdom in siting the centre in the region which provides 40 per cent. of the country's exports. May I ask him specifically if he will ensure that there is full cooperation between Government Departments, particularly the Ministry of Transport, the Birmingham Council and Chamber of Commerce and the local authorities in my area, so that this development will not be delayed and, in my constituency, local people will be able to take an active part in seeing this development through to its fruition.

There has already been close liaison between my Department and the Birmingham Chamber and the Birmingham City Council. There is no reason why this should not continue. British Rail will make sure that there is a positive statement about the advantages of being able to use their direct line, almost to the Birmingham centre itself.

Would my right hon. Friend bear in mind that as a provincial Member I would on the whole want to see everything possible moved to the provinces, particularly to Manchester, which is rather better than Birmingham? Would he, nevertheless, bear in mind that it does not matter what we, as such, want in this matter? Is he aware that it is a question of whether foreign buyers will go? Does he appreciate that this is really the important factor, and if he intends to carry out any viability study will he ensure that it will take into consideration where the buyers will go?

I am surprised that such a relatively young man as my hon. Friend should seem so old-fashioned. It is about time that hon. Members realised that trading is extremely serious. I do not think that buyers come to "swan" around where entertainments exist. They really want to do serious business and if there is an excellent exhibition centre on a site which is relatively cheaper, which means that they can consequently trade more cheaply and exhibit more cheaply, then they will go.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that what really matters is where the customers are? Does he appreciate that it is no use siting the shop where the shopkeeper wants it, but that it has to be sited where the customer happens to be? If he says that he has been waiting for positive proposals, why did the Board of Trade not make a positive proposal? Can he say how much Government money will be squandered in this way?

I am surprised that my hon. Friend is using such exaggerated language about money being squandered. The cost will probably be about £11 million, but at least the Birmingham City Council and the Chamber of Commerce are prepared to put at least £3 million into the project. No other local authority has made an offer of that kind.

The Minister has made a serious statement this afternoon. Is he aware that we fully understand and admire the vigorous desire of Birmingham to have first-class exhibition facilities. Will he say, first, is there any threat of the site being in the green belt; secondly, will he tell us, is it or is it not a commercial fact that the trade associations and the main exhibiting industries are nearly unanimously opposed to Birmingham as the site for the national exhibition centre; and, thirdly, does he accept that this opposition is unlikely to evaporate because many exhibitions depend upon public as well as trade attendance, and the public is so much more numerous in the London region? Will he also seriously consider inviting the G.L.C. to initiate simultaneously a feasibility study of all the viable or possibly viable alternatives in or near London?

Order. Questions must be reasonably brief.

On the right hon. Gentleman's last point, no I do not see any point at all in trawling all over the old ground, especially when I have seen proposals going back to 1959 and 1962 when hon. Gentlemen opposite who were in office took no action. There was talk about Crystal Palace, the Hammersmith proposals, the proposals for Gatwick and so on. It would necessitate a reversal of a major Government decision to change things.

There is also the fact that the G.L.C. is not interested. There has been opposition from people with trading interests. Once the positive decision has been made, and this is really a watershed in this sort of operation, that opposition will dissipate. People will go where the facilities are, especially when they are relatively cheaper.

Thirdly, it may be—and I am not absolutely certain—that the site may impinge upon green belt, but it is near an airport, it has one owner, it is relatively cheaper and the local authority is ready to go ahead.

Order. Answers must be brief, too.

While expressing the satisfaction of Birmingham industry and the Birmingham civic authorities with this decision, would my right hon. Friend agree that this site is a useful site not merely for Birmingham, but is accessible from all parts of the country? Is he aware that it is in the industrial and geographical centre of Britain and is readily accessible by the airlines? Will he endeavour to do what he can to see that this decision is promoted as rapidly as possible?

I am obliged to my hon. Friend for those remarks. It is appalling that most people, in spite of the fact that we talk about being British, recognise nothing north of London and think that Luton is on the fringe of the Continent. I hope that the Birmingham local authority will soon get planning permission, which will be subject to my right hon. Friend's decision. I hope that the Chamber will carry out its marketing survey as quickly as possible.

This decision is so serious that the Government should give the House the opportunity to discuss all its implications as soon as possible.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if, in view of the further down-turn in sales in the used car market, he will now relax the hire-purchase restrictions on such cars.

No, Sir, This would be premature.

As the Minister responsible for exports, is my hon. Friend aware of the great contribution which the motor industry makes to exports? Does she feel that without some help in the home market it will be able to hold down its export prices, especially since we have just had a 10 per cent. rise in the price of steel?

It is interesting that the increase in car exports and the increased home sales of commercial vehicles have partially offset the difficulties in the marketing of new cars. We are aware of the necessity to maintain our export markets, but it is too soon to discuss this sort of relaxation.

Does the hon. Lady appreciate that the level of home sales governs the manufacturing price of cars and that our exports will have to be more competitive than the outlook seems to indicate?

It is essential that our exports are competitive; no one has ever disputed that. There have been detailed talks with the Ministry of Technology and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, but we can make no announcement at the moment.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will give a general direction to British European Airways to discontinue any unremunerative services which an independent operator is ready to replace at his own expense.

No, Sir.

Does the Minister recall that for many years British European Airways has made a large operating loss on the Highlands and Islands services which is identified every year in its accounts at its own specific request? Does he not agree that when there is an opportunity for these services to be taken over by an independent operator B.E.A. should welcome that opportunity and divest itself of its loss-making service as soon as possible?

It is surely for the airline concerned to decide which services, if any, it wishes to discontinue or to continue if they are part of its pattern of policy. The hon. Gentleman will have seen the specific mention which we made to the very necessary Highlands and Islands services in the White Paper.

Would my hon. Friend, in any future attempt of this nature, be very careful about seeking to restore the independents at the expense of B.E.A.? Can he give any occasion on which an independent has come forward to offer to run the Western Isles services and make a profit?

There has been none, to my knowledge.

Surely it is clear that basically this is the decision for the licensing authority? Will the Minister give an assurance that it will not be instructed one way or the other but will decide any application which comes before it on its merit?

Any operator can apply for a licence on any route, and the A.T.L.B. considers each application impartially.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to which Eastern European countries he intends to pay official visits in 1970.

I have accepted an invitation to visit Roumania in March and I hope to visit other countries later in the year.

May I suggest to my right hon. Friend that he would be very welcome in many Eastern European countries, and particularly at their trade fairs? If he can equal the increase in our trade with Roumania in the G.D.R., for example, by calling at the Leipzig Fair on the way, it will be a great advantage to both sides.

I will bear in mind what my hon. Friend says, but I doubt very much whether I shall be able to attend the Leipzig Fair.

When the right hon. Gentleman makes his visit, if he makes any, to Eastern European countries and concludes trade agreements, will he ensure that the products covered by those agreements do not include sensitive items which will upset our own home market, such as agricultural goods flooding on to our market at prices well below ours?

I listened with interest to the preceding replies given by my hon. Friend, which were adequate.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has made of the expansion in trade between Great Britain and the German Democratic Republic under the three-year agreement recently negotiated.

I hope that trade will continue to grow, but quantitative estimates are not possible.

That is not a very enthusiastic Answer. The C.B.I. and the London Chamber are sending trade delegations to the German Democratic Republic in the very near future. Does my right hon. Friend think that there will be an increase in trade as a result of this activity? Cannot he say what he hopes to achieve at the end of the year?

Roughly. Our provisional figures for 1969 are that exports to East Germany totalled £12·1 million and imports £14·6 million. But we expect that in 1970 our exports will be substantially higher and we hope to exceed our record of £15·9 million which we established in 1966.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why he has not yet reached a decision regarding a ban on supersonic flight overland by civil aircraft, in the light of the fact that other Governments have decided to impose such a ban.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has yet come to a decision as to whether the Concorde aircraft can be permitted to operate at supersonic speeds over Great Britain.

We have not yet completed our assessment of the technical, social and economic factors involved in imposing any restrictions on supersonic flights over the United Kngdom. A decision will be announced long before commercial services begin.

In spite of what was said the other day from the Opposition Front Bench by the hon. Member for Bournemouth about the interests of the individual in these matters being unimportant, are not the interests of individuals in amenity questions extremely important to the Government? Will the Minister make representations and hold discussions with the Minister for Regional Planning and Local Government with a view to ensuring that in all circumstances the environmental interests of the citizen are preserved?

On a point of order. The hon. Gentleman referred to the hon. Member for Bournemouth. I think that he is mistaken.

I assure my hon. Friend that these considerations are fully borne in mind by all Ministers concerned in this decision.

As the economic viability of this project in which so much public money has already been invested is very much tied up with the question whether it will be permissible to operate this aircraft supersonically over land, is it not essential, now that the aircraft exists, to carry out the tests and come to a decision very quickly?

I do not accept the implications of the first part of the supplementary question. But I agree that the tests are necessary to help to decide the operational capabilities and therefore the commercial capabilities of the aircraft. I hope that a decision will be reached in the next few months. As I said, the commercial flights are some years ahead.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is satisfied with the effectiveness of the anti-dumping laws, with particular respect to cotton textiles; and if he will make a statement.

Yes, Sir. As my hon. Friend will recall, the antidumping legislation was strengthened by the Customs Duties (Dumping and Subsidies) Amendment Act, 1968. Since 1957, six applications have been made in respect of cotton textiles. One was not accepted for full investigation: two were withdrawn: two were rejected. Antidumping action was taken in the remaining case.

Is my hon. Friend aware that her Answer will give great satisfaction to people in Lancashire who will be pleased to note that the dumping laws appear to be reasonably satisfactory? Can she say how the numbers compare with the numbers of complaints before the new legislation?

I cannot give that information offhand, but it is interesting that in some cases, when the application was not proceeded with, nevertheless an alteration was made by the exporting country which brought it into line with what we had asked for.

Surely the legislation to which the hon. Lady refers was the result of an international agreement in 1967 at the end of the Kennedy Round, which was the culmination of negotiations instituted under the preceding Government?

The legislation is very helpful. I do not think that we should argue about why it was enacted. We did it; the Opposition did not.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the recent development of British South African trade.

Last year our exports, including re-exports, to South Africa rose by about 10 per cent. to £291 million. Imports were £303 million.

I welcome the increase, but would not the right hon. Gentleman agree that there is some hypocrisy in the policy of increasing trade with South Africa and at the same time denying arms which are needed to implement our joint defence responsibilities for the Cape route?

That is not so. The policy is morally right. It is internationally accepted. As far as I can gather, it is having no deleterious effects upon our trade with South Africa.

In view of recent newspaper articles, has the Board of Trade made any estimate of what percentage of British South African trade is British Rhodesian trade?

I am not responsible for what may be contained in Press articles.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he expects radar to be installed at Turnhouse Airport, Edinburgh.

It is planned to have the radar in operation before the Commonwealth Games begin on 15th July, 1970. So far the programme to achieve this is proceeding satisfactorily.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that those of us who had pressing engagements in Scotland last night to immortalise Robert Burns were, ironically, diverted to Ayrshire and that we were three hours late this morning? Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that this is an urgent matter? There is rumour that the installation will be completed by 1st April. Can he confirm this?

I cannot confirm it at this stage—it is far too early—but progress is satisfactory. Incidentally, I should not have thought that it was necessary to immortalise Robert Burns, because he has done that already for himself.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what consultations he has had with local authorities on the financing of Turnhouse Airport, Edinburgh.

None since the discussions with Edinburgh Corporation. As indicated in reply to my hon. Friend's Questions on 28th November last, I am always willing to consider suggestions by local authorities for the financing of Turnhouse.—[Vol. 792, c. 170–1.]

Is it not time that the Board of Trade took the initiative and knocked some of the local authorities' heads together with a view to providing at least some money?

No, Sir. I think that it is best for us to await suggestions from the local authorities concerned. There are a number of them. As I have said, we stand ready to consider any proposals which they may make to us.

Now that Turnhouse has to be the airport for the Dundee area and Fife as well as Edinburgh, are the Government treating as important and urgent the question of another runway and new terminal buildings?

Yes, indeed. I have delayed an Answer on this, as the hon. Member knows, because the cost-benefit study is being looked at again—it has been extended to some extent—because I am anxious that every aspect of the problem shall be examined, including the points which have been raised.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) what tonnage of coal was exported from 1st January, 1969, to the latest available date; of what types; and to what countries;

(2) what was the value of coal exports from 1st January, 1969, to the latest available date.

Figures are given on pages 130 and 131 of the Overseas Trade Accounts for December, 1969. They show that coal exports in 1969 amounted to 3·4 million tons valued at £15·8 million. Western Europe was our main market.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that there appears to be a particular potential for the expansion of exports of British coal to power stations in North Germany? Is he in contact with the appropriate German authorities about this?

Yes, Sir. The Coal Board has recently gained contracts with German power stations distant from the Ruhr. This has been helpful for them because of the mine closure programme in the Netherlands and Belgium. We have been able to step into the market at the right time.

asked the President of the President of the Board of Trade, what priority he gives to exporting compared with import saving.

The policy of the Government is to encourage a continued improvement in the balance of trade, whether by increased exports or by import saving. My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade has a particular concern within the general policy for the promotion of exports.

Is not the hon. Lady aware that her right hon. Friend is on record as having said that, all other things being equal he preferred exporting to import saving? Does the hon. Lady realise that that is totally wrong? Will she get her right hon. Friend to stand behind the Minister of Agriculture at the forthcoming Price Review to try to get more generous treatment from the Treasury for our farmers?

I assure the hon. Member that I stood behind the Minister of Agriculture recently when he was being attacked with sheep and all sorts of things by farmers. If we are a world trading country and we expand our export markets, it must be obvious that to increase our exports will, in the long run, be more advantageous than import substitution. It is because we have forward various ideas to industry for ways in which it can insist on import substitution that we are obviously doing all we can on both fronts.

asked the President of the Board of Trade by what date he estimates that an effective automatic noise-monitoring system will be installed at Heathrow Airport.

The present system, which is partly manual and partly automatic, is effective, but for reasons of economy we expect to move to a largely automatic system at fixed points in 1971. Two mobile stations will, however, be retained in order to maintain flexibility of control.

Can the Minister say whether this rather astonishing delay is due to the fact that the Post Office cannot supply four telephone lines of the required technical qualification and reliability?

I cannot confirm that. Any delay is to be deplored, but I do not think that it is unduly long in this case.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that it is generally accepted that automatic monitoring is superior to the present system? Will he consider the possibility of extending monitoring not merely from the vicinity of the airport but to the area beneath the flight path into the airport?

I take note of the second part of my hon. Friend's question. On the first part, the prime, motive here is economy. Whether monitoring will be more effective remains to be seen. This has been done for reasons of economy.

asked the President of the Board of Trade on now many occasions in the last two years an airline has admitted that its pilot was at fault in violating the noise regulations at Heathrow; and how many violations of the noise regulations were recorded by the authorities at Heathrow in this period.

Explanations were sought in 816 cases and airlines admitted pilot error in 51 of them. 1,080 infringements were recorded in the same two-year period. In the balance of 264 cases, the noise levels were only marginally over the limit and the airlines concerned were notified, but no explanation was sought.

Can the right hon. Gentleman give any explanation of the discrepancy between the two figures? Could it be due to the fact that, very often, the monitoring of an aircraft takes place only when it is on the prescribed route and not when it is off the prescribed route?

The difference between the two figures is that 1,080 infringements were recorded but explanation was sought in only 816 cases. The difference of 264 represents the marginal cases in which explanation did not need to be sought.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that excessive noise is injurious to health? What is he doing to try to make life more tolerable to people who live adjacent to airports?

I am well aware of the problem. Indeed, we had a far-ranging debate on it in the House this morning. It would take me too long to go into the efforts that we are making to improve the situation in the short term, but I emphasise that there is no quick and easy solution to the problem and that we must concentrate on the middle and long term.

Can the Minister confirm or deny the suggestion in my hon. Friend's Question that some of the pilots were infringing air traffic control by being off their correct route?

I could not, off the cuff, confirm the actual circumstances which gave rise to the infringement and the inquiry. If the hon. Member and his hon. Friend particularly wish to have this detail, I will do my best to find it.