§ 10. Mr. WHITEasked the President of the Board of Trade if he can now make a statement regarding the proposed 192 agreement between the British Dyestuffs Corporation and the Allgemeine Gesellschaft?
§ 12. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the President of the Board of Trade whether any further progress has been made in the proposed amalgamation between the British Dyestuffs Corporation and certain German concerns; what are the names of the German companies with which it is proposed to amalgamate combine, or to come to a working arrangement; and what will be the liability incurred by the British Dyestuffs Corporation?
Mr. WEBBI understand that the terms of the proposed agreement are still under consideration, and I am consequently not yet in a position to make a statement on the subject.
§ Mr. WHITEIn view of the importance of the matter, will the right hon. Gentleman give an undertaking that the House shall have the opportunity of discussing these arrangements before a decision is taken?
Mr. WEBBI have already informed the House that I shall certainly do all in my power to see that, if the parties come to an arrangement, the House shall have the opportunity of considering it at some stage.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYCan the right hon. Gentleman answer the second part of my question, namely, what are the names of the companies that propose to amalgamate; is it only the Allgemeine Gesellschaft, or are there other companies?
Mr. WEBBI have not yet got the terms of the proposed agreement showing who are the parties in Germany. The negotiating body is. I understand, the Interessen Gemeinschaft; but exactly what firms and companies that includes I cannot state from memory.
§ Sir HARRY BRITTAINDoes the Allgemeine Gesellschaft deal in red dyes?
§ Mr. HOFFMANComrade Kenworthy: