§ 59. Brigadier- General Sir HENRY CROFTasked the Minister of Labour the total number of workers employed in the gramophone industry in 1924 and 1927, respectively; and, if not, can he give the figures for the three largest companies?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDI regret that the statistics desired are not available.
§ Sir H. CROFTIn view of the fact that this industry is either flourishing or distressed as a result of Government action, is it not desirable that these simple facts should be presented to the House?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDI can assure my hon. and gallant Friend that I should be only too glad if I could give the facts in regard to this industry, so that the truth might be known in every way, but it is really a question of classification. This particular industry falls into three or four different classifications, and for that reason in this as in other cases it is impossible to isolate them, so as to get the figures, without an undue amount of bookkeeping.
§ Sir H. CROFTWould it not be possible to address a questionnaire to the three biggest firms in the country in order to ascertain the facts? Would that be expensive? If not, the House would like to have the figures.
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDI should be quite ready to publish the figures if the three firms are willing to give them. I am sure that if they are willing to give them they would give them to the hon. and gallant Member as freely as they would give them to me. I cannot take figures from individual firms and use them separately as official figures.
§ Mr. A. V. ALEXANDERIf the right hon. Gentleman intends to ask for statistics, will he ask the same firms why they need to be protected if they can make such profits as to get 10 times the par value of their shares on the Stock Exchange?
§ Mr. R. MORRISONIf the right hon. Gentleman is going to get statistics, will he at the same time get statistics from the piano trade, which is more depressed than it has been for 20 years?