§ 44. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the President of the Board of Trade whether it is proposed to hold the British Industries Fair in provincial cities other than Birmingham in future years?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of TRADE (Sir Burton Chadwick)No, Sir. The Committee appointed by the Board of Trade in 1921 to consider the best policy to be adopted in respect of British Industries Fairs, were opposed to new sections of the Fair being initiated in other provincial centres, and favoured its continued concentration in London and Birmingham.
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYThe hon. Gentleman has not quite understood the purport of the question. I do not propose an additional section, but an alternative to Birmingham. Is Birmingham to have a monopoly of these fairs for all time?
§ Sir B. CHADWICKThat was considered by the Committee to which I have referred, and they decided that if any fair outside London was desirable at all, Birmingham was probably the best centre in which to hold it, largely because it can be reached in a day from London.
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYAre we to understand from that answer that the spending of money voted by this House is to be governed for all time by the recommendation of this ad hoc Committee?
§ Sir B. CHADWICKI think the Committee has been very successful in its results.
§ Sir HARRY BRITTAINAs it has been announced on more than one occasion that both these fairs have proved great successes, is there any reason why the North of England should not have a chance of a third fair?
§ Mr. KIRKWOODSeeing that Glasgow has just finished building a beautiful hall for exhibition purposes, would not the hon. Gentleman consider that it might go to Glasgow?