§ 4. Mr. KILEYasked the President of the Board of Trade the number of industries which, in the opinion of His Majesty's Government, will require protection by restriction of imports; and what are the industries in question?
§ Sir R. HORNEI presume the hon. Member's question relates to those industries which are to be considered as key industries, and I would refer him to my answer to-day to my hon. Friend the Member for Eye.
§ 5. Mr. GALBRAITHasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will consider the question of instituting an inquiry, by the Central Committee established under the Profiteering Act, into each of the industries which it is intended to schedule in the forthcoming Anti-Dumping Bill with a view to ascertaining the number of firms engaged in each such industry, the capital invested, the profits earned, the number of employés, the wages paid, and the value of the imports?
§ Sir R. HORNEThe inquiries considered necessary for the purposes of the Profiteering Acts are being and will be made. The suggestion that such inquiries should be initiated on the basis of a hypothetical schedule to a measure which has not yet been introduced will not, I think, commend itself.
§ 8. Mr. LYLE-SAMUELasked the President of the Board of Trade if the Government has decided what is the real meaning of a key industry; whether a list has been prepared of all industries which come under that definition; whether he will at once publish the list, and by so doing put an end to the feeling of uncertainty as to the Government's policy, which uncertainty is inimical to commercial and industrial development?
§ Sir R. HORNEI shall be prepared to discuss the definition of a key industry when the Government's proposals for safeguarding such industries are submitted to this House. The question as to which particular industries shall be included in the proposed legislation for safeguarding key industries is one which 6 Parliament will decide, and as any proposals which the Government have to make may be modified by Parliament, it is clear that the publication of a list of suggested key industries at the present moment would in no way allay the uncertainty to which the hon. Member refers.
§ Mr. LYLE-SAMUELDo I understand from the President of the Board of Trade that the Government have decided to protect key industries before determining what key industries are?
§ Sir R. HORNEI do not think the hon. Member is correct in drawing that inference. The Government have made up their mind what key industries are to be protected, and those as to which proposals shall be laid before Parliament. My hon. Friend's question was as to the uncertainty arising from the fact that no one outside knows what the key industries are, but if the Government issued a schedule of key industries before Parliament has decided what it is going to do, that would allay no uncertainty.
Colonel C. LOWTHERWill the right hon. Gentleman assure the House that the toy industry is a key industry? Is he aware that shoals of German toys are being poured into this country without bearing any marks showing that they are of alien origin?
§ Sir R. HORNEThe question on the Paper deals with key industries. I do not think the toy industry is a key industry?
§ Sir R. HORNENo, it does not mean that.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThis is not the time to discuss the question.