§ 42. Mr. Manderasked the President of the Board of Trade whether, with a view to assembling all the necessary statistical information with regard to the contraction or expansion of trade, he will consider making arrangements for contractors to notify monthly the amount of actual expenditure in respect of building plans approved, and requiring Government contractors to notify monthly the amount of actual expenditure by them, including capital expenditure in respect of rearmament, also monthly returns from principal steelworks, shipbuilders, electrical manufacturers and contractors, road contractors, railways, and motor manufacturers, of the amount of actual expenditure and unfulfilled orders?
§ Captain WallaceIt would not be possible to obtain complete information of this kind without statutory powers. Partial information obtained on a voluntary basis would, in the opinion of my right hon. Friend, be of no value for the purposes which the hon. Member has in mind.
§ Mr. ManderWould not information of this kind be very valuable in dealing with unemployment during the coming slump?