§ 53. Mr. CURRIEasked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the public interest in the matter, any official estimate can now be submitted regarding the extent to which, in the event of the Government adopting a policy of buying out distilleries, the sum payable by the taxpayer as price or compensation might be made good by using the plants so acquired, either in the han[...]s of the Government or in some other way, for the production of alcohol for industrial and manufacturing purposes; whether any of the Committees appointed to consider post-war trade arrangements have this branch of trade and the possibilities of its development under consideration; how much money per annum now expended on advertising would be saved if the Government bought out the trade and dispensed with advertisements; and whether, if such information be not now available, he will take steps to secure it?
Mr. RUNCIMANI have no knowledge of any intention of the Government to buy out. distilleries, and the second part of the question does not, therefore, arise. So far as I am aware, none of the Committees appointed to consider post-war conditions are dealing with this branch of trade.