44. Dr. McLEANasked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs what are 668 the results of approaches made to local authorities by the Empire Marketing Board with a view to securing that their purchases out of public funds should be limited, so far as practicable, to articles of home or overseas Empire production or manufacture?
The SECRETARY of STATE for DOMINION AFFAIRS (Mr. J. H. Thomas)The Empire Marketing Board have approached county councils and county borough councils in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and county councils and burgh councils in Scotland. As an instance of the results, I may mention that the tender forms of some 1,500 institutions have been forwarded by local authorities to the board in order that suggestions might be made for their revision to the advantage of Empire products. In the opinion of the board producers in the Empire both at home and overseas are greatly indebted to the local authorities throughout the country for the very notable lead which they have given in this matter.