§ 44. Brigadier-General MAKINSasked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether he is aware that, in connection with the British Industries Fair, the occupiers of stalls who make any sales of tobacco or other commodities by way of samples to visitors have to pay 10 per cent. of all takings to Messrs. Lyons and Company, who hold the catering contract, and, in addition, exhibitors are limited to the size of the articles they sell; and whether, considering that the exhibition is a national undertaking, he will take steps in future to ensure that no such conditions are allowed to exist?
§ Mr. GILLETTMy Department, as tenants at Olympia, are bound by a contract between the landlords of the premises and Messrs. J. Lyons and Company under which the latter have the sole right of sale at Olympia of food, beverages and tobacco. A special arrangement such as is mentioned by the hon. and gallant Member was the only means by which facilities for the sale of samples could be given to exhibitors of these commodities. I am satisfied that during the term of the contract these or analogous conditions must continue to exist.
§ Brigadier-General MAKINSHas not the hon. Gentleman received a great many complaints with regard to this arrangement from the Dominions and Colonies, and from representatives of the trades concerned?
§ Mr. GILLETTNo, I have received none at all.
§ 47. Mr. REMERasked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department, if his attention has been called to the German and American exhibits at the British Industries Fair; and what steps he is taking to confine the fair solely to British goods?
§ Mr. GILLETTYes, Sir, the matter is one which is watched by the organisers of both sections of the Fair with the utmost vigilance. Every exhibitor signs a declaration that the goods he proposes to exhibit are of British manufacture, and every effort is made both in London and Birmingham to see that this undertaking is carried out. During the present Fair my attention was called to two or 18 three cases in which it was alleged that goods of foreign origin were being exhibited. In each case the matter was immediately looked into and appropriate action taken.
§ Mr. REMERWill the hon. Gentleman investigate the several cases which have been brought to my notice, and see that publicity is given to the action that he takes?
§ Mr. GILLETTI shall be obliged to the hon. Member if he will give the information, because both Committees are anxious to see that nothing of this kind occurs in future.
§ 48. Mr. HACKINGasked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department the number of invitations sent to Russia to attend the British Industries Fair, the number of acceptances he received, and the number of Russians who actually attended the fair?
§ Mr. GILLETTIn view of the fact that foreign trade in the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics is a Government monopoly, invitations were sent to the Soviet Embassy in London. According to our records, one Russian attended the fair.
§ 49. Mr. HACKINGasked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether he can make any statement as to the results of the British Industries Fair?
§ 53. Sir NICHOLAS GRATTAN-DOYLEasked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether he can make any statement as to the attendance and business done this year at the British Industries Fair by comparison with other years?
§ Mr. GILLETTThe figures for the London section of the fair were in round numbers as follow:
Visits of home buyers 150,000, against 111,000 in 1929. Visits of overseas buyers 4,800, against 3,700 in 1929. The public 51,000, against 32,000 in 1929.
The Birmingham figures for all classes are 150,000, against 120,000 in 1929.
Reports from both London and Birmingham indicate results comparing very favourably with business done last year.
§ Mr. HACKINGHas the decision taken last year by the hon. Gentleman's predecessors to hold this year's fair at Olympia been a wise one?
§ Mr. GILLETTCertainly, it has been most successful, and has in every way worked very satisfactorily.
§ Mr. ARTHUR MICHAEL SAMUELCan we hope that orders have been placed by the Russian Soviet delegation in Birmingham, in the heavy engineering section, for agricultural machinery?
§ Mr. GILLETTI am afraid that I have no information on that point.