18. Lieutenant-Colonel Sir JOHN HOPEasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he consulted the Interim Industrial Reconstruction Committee of the Paper Trade before he decided to allow increased imports of manufactured paper?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANThe Interim Industrial Reconstruction Committee was not consulted, but the Paper Control Department has always kept in touch with the 8 interests concerned and was aware of the views of the trade. The Interim Industrial Reconstruction Committee has been invited to be represented when a deputation from the Paper Makers' Association is being received at the Board of Trade to-morrow, Tuesday.
Sir J. HOPEAs the hon. Gentleman has just promised in the case of cotton hosiery that the restrictions will not be removed, why is no similar treatment meted out to paper dealers?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANThe Paper Control was set up before the Interim Industrial Reconstruction Committee was formed. They have their own advisory council, from which they derive information. In this particular instance, I do not know when it was, they should have been consulted. I am sorry they were not.
Sir J. HOPEWill the hon. Gentleman consider the interests of the paper trade in the same way in order to prevent unemployment?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANThey have been and are being considered, and a deputation on the subject is coming to-morrow.
§ Mr. G. TERRELLWill these imports be stopped, or, at any rate, to some extent restricted?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANNo. A decision has been come to on that subject, and I do not think it can be reconsidered.