§ 54. Sir A. SINCLAIRasked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs what advice was tendered by the Board of Agriculture for Scotland to the Empire Marketing Board as to what particular classes of home-grown produce should be supported by advertisement and the seasons at which that advertisement should be forthcoming; and how far that advice has been acted upon?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for DOMINION AFFAIRS (Mr. Amery)The officers of the Empire Marketing Board and of the Scottish Board of Agriculture have been in touch, and every endeavour has been made to meet Scottish needs, so far as the nature of the Board's advertising campaign permitted. I should add that it is the Board's policy to create a general background of publicity against which particular interests can throw into relief the merits of any produce with which they are concerned, rather than to undertake advertising campaigns on behalf of particular commodities.
§ 55. Mr. ERNEST BROWNasked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs if he is aware that, at the advertising exhibition of the Empire Marketing 572 Board, foreign goods, including Dutch gin and Swedish ginger, are displayed in prominent positions; and if any of the British taxpayers' money is expended in these processes?
§ Mr. AMERYThe hon. Member presumably refers to the section of the Empire Marketing Board's exhibit at the Advertising Exhibition which is devoted to a demonstration, for the instruction of home and oversea Empire producers and distributors, of the importance of effective packing and presentation of goods. This display deliberately includes, for the purpose of illustration and comparison, examples of foreign bottles and containers. This is explained on notices affixed to the various stands.
§ Mr. BROWNAre we to understand that there are no British articles of a similar nature which can be demonstrated?
Mr. THOMASIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Empire Marketing Board has offered no objection to the exhibition of a mug with a portrait of a very distinguished statesman?
§ Mr. AMERYI am not at all sure that that mug is an exhibit of the Empire Marketing Board. The exhibition is not one of Empire goods. It is an educative exhibition to show Empire producers how improvements in methods of presentation can increase sales. A fine example of that has been the improvements by foreign manufacturer's in their sales of goods. The Empire Marketing Board very much appreciate the vigilance of the hon. Member for Leith (Mr. E. Brown) in endeavouring to exclude foreign articles.
§ Mr. A. V. ALEXANDERMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman if we are to understand that the Government will now rely upon developing efficiency instead of tariffs for the sale of Empire products?