§ 74 and 75. Mr. Hamilton Kerrasked the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether he is aware of the apprehension felt by exporters that their reserves of stock will be speedily exhausted, and that when the war ends and a brisk export trade will be essential to recovery, the old trade channels will have dried up; and what steps he is taking to keep these op>en and increase them;
(2) whether he is aware that many exporters of textiles are finding the Government export regulations and system of priorities cumbrous and bad for business; whether he is aware that agents abroad are complaining that the slow delivery of letters is hampering their trade; and whether, in the circumstances, he can investigate existing conditions, with the object of effecting some immediate reform?
§ Mr. StanleyMy attention has been drawn to apprehensions and difficulties such as those to which my hon. Friend refers. On 17th October, I circulated to trade organisations a memorandum, the immediate object of which was to help in correcting prevalent misunderstandings on the subject of priorities and the current availability of supplies of materials for manufacture for export. The memorandum also explained the steps which were being taken by the Ministry of Supply to make controlled materials, required for the purposes of export trade, as readily available as possible, and by my Department to simplify and expedite the export licensing procedure. Apart from the immediate steps thus taken to facilitate the operations of exporters, the memorandum announced the opening of a series of discussions with major exporting industries, so as to enable them to formulate plans for their future export trade. These discussions are proceeding. I would point out that the export of piece-goods, either cotton, woollen or linen, is not subject to licence.