§ 36. Mr. GRIFFITHSasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Empire Marketing Board have approached the Indian co-operative societies with a view to co-ordinating their efforts in the direction of the Empire marketing of Indian products?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for the COLONIES (Mr. Ormsby-Gore)The Board has not had any direct communication with Indian co-operative societies and has no detailed information in regard to the need for co-ordinating their efforts as suggested by the hon. Member. I might say, however, that in pursuance of its policy of working wherever possible through existing institutions, the Board has approved a grant to the Horace Plunkett Foundation, to which certain co-operative societies in India are, I believe, affiliated, to enable it to extend its services in fostering the co-operative organisation of producers in the Empire and giving expert advice on questions submitted to it.
§ Mr. GRIFFITHSWill the Under-Secretary get into touch with the representatives of the Empire Marketing Board in regard to these societies?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREI am the Chairman of the Empire Marketing Board, and the procedure we adopt is to receive applications for grants. If the Indian co-operative societies are desirous of obtaining a grant—and we have given one or two similar grants—no doubt they will put their case before the Government of India in the usual way.
§ Mr. T. WILLIAMSDoes not the right hon. Gentleman think that unless the outcome of this expenditure of £1,000,000 is the adoption of co-operation much more successfully than has been the case in the past, this money will be largely wasted?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREI am quite sure that the money is not being wasted——