§ 19. Mr. Rhys Daviesasked the President of the Board of Trade whether steps are being taken in connection with the concentration of industry to prevent machinery rusting or being sold for scrap; and whether anything is being done to make it possible for factories now being closed to restart operations at the close of the war?
§ Captain WaterhouseI would refer the hon. Member to paragraph 9 of the Explanatory Memorandum on the Concentration of Production (Cmd. 6258). It is there stated that one of the conditions which a nucleus firm must satisfy is that it must provide for the plant of the closed firm to be kept intact, unless the premises should be requisitioned. A register of firms who are parties to concentration arrangements is being kept, and the Government departments concerned will take all measures open to them to assist the speedy reopening after the war of firms closed as a result of these arrangements.