§ 44. Mr. Lathanasked the Minister of Supply whether he is aware that a serious position has arisen in the wool industry affecting London brokers and distributors and also manufacturers as the result of the present form of control which differs greatly from the successful system of the last war; that this tends to dislocate the business of old-established firms with wide experience and to displace their employes; and whether steps can now be taken to utilise the accumulated knowledge of these firms and their staffs in the more efficient organisation of control in the national interests?
§ Mr. BurginThe purchase of the Australian and New Zealand wool clips by His Majesty's Government must, I fear, involve some modification of the present method of distribution of wool in this country. The precise form of the arrangements to be made is at present-receiving consideration.
§ Mr. LathanDoes the right hon. Gentleman realise that it is not the particular clip which is in question, but the form of control which has been established; and is it to be understood that the policy now adopted involves a complete disregard of the accumulated experience of firms and their employés?
§ Mr. BurginNo, Sir, and I hope that neither the hon. Member nor the House will draw any such conclusion. I was referring to the very large increase of importation caused by the purchase of the clips from Australia and New Zealand. I have no desire not to take advantage of the accumulated experience of the members of the trade, and I intended by the words, "the precise form of the arrangements is receiving consideration," to mean that the matter was receiving my persona] attention. It will, of course, deal in much the same way with a large number of commodities—-wool is not the only one—in which the whole question of import arrangements must be reviewed.
§ Mr. LathanWill the right hon. Gentleman find it possible in a few days to give a reply to the deputation which waited on him four or five weeks ago?