§ 72. Mr. C. BATHURSTasked the President of the Board of Trade if he can explain why in Part III. of the Preliminary Tables of the Census of Production the net output per person employed, based upon the cost of material, the price at which the goods are sold, and the number of persons employed in making and marketing them, is in the case of such trades as hosiery, china, and earthenware £68 only, but in the case of chemicals, coal-tar products, drugs, and perfumery rises to £185, and in the case of ink, gum, and sealing wax to £318; and whether, if such figures are largely affected by the cost of advertisement, he will arrange that in future similar Returns such cost is deducted so that the figures may, in the case of each trade and industry, be judged on a similar basis?
Mr. BUXTONAccording to the revised figures shown in the Final Report of the First Census of Production, the net output per head in the hosiery trades was £61; in the china and earthenware trades, £68; in the chemicals, coal-tar products, drugs and perfumery trades, £183; and in the ink, gum and sealing-wax trades £280. The differences in the rate of net output per head are partially due to the cost of advertising and sales expenses in the two latter groups of trades, but other factors have to be taken into account, and the whole subject is discussed in the section on "Net Output per head of Persons Employed" on pages 12–15 of the General Report (Cd. 6320, Part I.). Under the provisions of the Census of Production Act, 1906, and the Orders and Rules issued by the Board of Trade thereunder, it is not possible to require manufacturers to state, for the purposes of the Second Census of Production, the cost of advertisement, so that the course suggested by the hon. Member is not practicable.