§ 45. Mr. MABANEasked the President of the Board of Trade whether all retail distributors, of whatever size or description, are entitled to report sales, amp;c., to the Bank of England in accordance with the scheme developed by the Bank of England and the Board of Trade, in conjunction with the Incorporated Association of Retail Distributors; whether, if this be so, he is aware that the knowledge is not widely spread; and whether he will take steps to disseminate this knowledge, and to encourage retail distributors to assist in the compilation of statistics of retail trades in this manner in order that the sample of trade on which statistics are based may be more representative than the present 15 per cent. of total retail sales?
§ Dr. BURGINThe scheme for the reporting of retail sales, amp;c., developed by the Bank of England and the Board of Trade in conjunction with the Incorporated Association of Retail Distributors and other trade organisations is entirely voluntary. The co-operation of any retailer is welcomed, though the nature of the task would, of course, be materially changed if any large proportion of the half million or more retailers were to contribute. The results receive publicity in the Board of Trade Journal, the daily Press and trade papers, and it is made plain in the articles in the Board of Trade Journal that there is no restriction on collaboration.
§ Mr. MABANEAm I to understand that if retail distributors make application to the Board of Trade they will be supplied with the requisite forms for making 1219 a return, so that their returns may be included in these valuable statistics?
§ Dr. BURGINThat is so.