§ 32. Mr. HAYES (for Mr. B. SMITH)asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs the amount disbursed in newspaper advertising from the Empire Marketing Fund in the nine months ending 31st December, 1926; and how much of this sum was spent in newspapers-supporting the Tory party and how much in newspapers supporting the Labour and Liberal parties?
§ Mr. AMERYThe amount expended from the Empire Marketing Fund in newspaper advertising, from the date of the inception of the advertising campaign in October, 1926, to 31st December, 1926, was £14,843. In reply to the second part of the question, the Empire Marketing Board have no information as to the political complexion of many of the newspapers in which their advertisements are inserted. The newspapers are selected on the advice of the Board's advertising agent, and the agent, in tendering that advice, is guided solely by consideration of the publicity value of the papers concerned, without any regard to the political parties which they severally support.