§ 19. Lieut.-Colonel HENEAGEasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what sum has been allotted from the £1,000,000 grant to the Empire Marketing Board to the marketing of British barley?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GORENo grant has been specifically made in regard to the marketing of British barley, but I am informed that the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries is conducting an investigation into the marketing of cereals, as part of the work now being carried out with the aid of the grant of £40,000 a year which has been made to the Ministry by the Empire Marketing Board.
§ Lieut.-Colonel HENEAGEIs my right hon. Friend aware that the British grower of barley is the hardest hit of almost any arable producer, and will he do what he can to assist him to find fresh markets, if possible?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREI think that if my hon. and gallant Friend will put a question of that kind to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries it will be easier. The Marketing Board only make grants when the matter is put up to them through the appropriate Department. Any case for the improvement of the marketing of a particular home product would come to us through the Ministry of Agriculture.
Captain CROOKSHANKIs it the policy of the Board to make specific grants for specific commodities, or is it merely general?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREIn the main, it is general.
§ 20. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, in connection with the grant of £1,000,000 to the Empire Marketing Board, what sum has been allocated to protect the interests of home producers in England and the direction in which this sum is being spent; and how much money has been allocated for the assistance or fostering of British deep-sea fishing?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREA grant of £40,000 per annum has been made available from the Empire Marketing Fund for the improvement and development of the marketing of home agricultural products in England and Wales. This grant is being administered on behalf of the Board by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. The Ministry's programme of work includes the investigation of marketing conditions, the publication of reports on marketing, and the practical 9 demonstration of improved methods of packing, grading, etc. Demonstrations on these lines are being given in the present summer at a number of agricultural shows in various parts of the country. The Ministry has also made grants for such purposes as the standardisation of cheese and the development of grading and packing stations for fruit and vegetables. With regard to the last part of the question, the Board has undertaken to contribute a sum not exceeding £1,500 during the current year towards the cost of experiments carried out by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research into the long-distance transport of fish. The Imperial Economic Committee is at present investigating fishery problems, and the Board awaits the issue of its Report and recommendations before making any further grants.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYDoes the right hon. Gentleman consider that £1,500 is a suitable amount, out of £1,000,000, for one of our great industries, namely, deep-sea fishing?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREOh no, I do not wish to be taken as saying that at all. As the hon. and gallant Member is aware, the Board, before doing anything in this matter, must be advised by the Imperial Economic Committee. The Imperial Economic Committee has in hand an ad hoc investigation into Empire fish as a whole—Canadian fish, British fish, and all the rest; and when we get their Report as to what assistance can best be given, and all the data, we shall be in a position to consider what grant may be desirable.
§ Sir ALEXANDER SPROTWill any part of this grant be spent in Scotland?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREThe Department of Scientific and Industrial Research covers the whole of Great Britain. This is a question more particularly in regard to the long-distance transport of fish, which is a very difficult problem, and, if it is solved in the case of England, it will be solved in the case of Scotland.
§ Mr. HARRISWill the right hon. Gentleman endeavour to see that the same amount of money is spent in advertising British products as in advertising Colonial products, as the money is found by the British taxpayer?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREFrom the very first the Empire Marketing Board has made it clear that Great Britain is within the Empire.
§ Mr. R. MORRISONCan the right hon. Gentleman give a definition of what is Empire fish, as distinct from other fish?
§ 23. Captain AUSTIN HUDSONasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that the advertisement hoardings of the Empire Marketing Board have been placed in parks, commons and, open spaces in London; that these boards spoil the appearance of these green places and interfere with the enjoyment of them; and whether he will take steps to have them removed to more suitable sites?
§ Mr. ORMSBY -GOREThe reply to the first part of the question is in the affirmative, and I should like to take this opportunity of saying how grateful I am to my Nobs Friend the First Commissioner of Works and the various local authorities who have assisted the Empire Marketing Board by giving permission for the display, of their posters where ordinary advertisements would not be allowed. In reply to the second and third parts of the question, I believe the House will agree with me, that the display, on special designed frames, of these posters by loading British artists, does not spoil the appearance or interfere with the enjoyment of the open spaces where they are exhibited. No site of this description is selected in any part of the country without the fullest consultation with and the prior concurrence of the authority within whose jurisdiction the site lies. But I need hardly add that if in any case it is found that there exists a substantial and well-founded complaint that any of the Board's special hoardings are interfering with the public enjoyment, the matter will be very carefully considered and steps taken to secure an alternative site.
§ Captain HUDSONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that one of these boards has been put in the middle of Clapton Common?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREI shall be very glad to receive any representations from the Clapton authorities in the matter.
§ Colonel DAYHow many of these boards are put up?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREI think about 500 are up and altogether there are to be 700.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYDoes the right hon. Gentleman I know that what is everybody's business is nobody's business, and he is not likely to get complaints though the public eye a may be offended?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREWe make it perfectly clear before any of these boards are put up that the local authority who is responsible for what should or should not be accepted in any open space is consulted and its concurrence obtained.
§ Sir HARRY BRITTAINIs it not a fact that these designs are artistic and have created the greatest interest wherever they have been put up?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREWe are not only encouraging marketing, but also employing first-rate British artists.