§ 31. Mr. Hepworthasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what have been the principal activities of the reconstituted Colonial Marketing Board up to date; and whether steps will be taken by that board to encourage manufacturers in this country to investigate the possibility of using a greater proportion of raw materials obtained within the Empire or of financing and developing their own supplies of raw materials within the Colonial Empire?
Mr. M. MacDonaldThe board's office was only opened on 1st March this year, since when it has been principally occupied with questions of organisation. It has completed arrangements for assuming responsibility for co-ordinating publicity on behalf of the Colonial Empire in this country and elsewhere. The board's officers have also begun investigating the possibilities of expanding the market for certain Colonial products in this country. As regards the last part of the question, the board will certainly do its utmost to promote co-operation between manufacturers in this country and producers in the Colonial Empire.