HC Deb 19 October 1943 vol 392 cc1190-1
13. Sir Herbert Williams

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, having regard to the statements contained in "Germany's Master Plan," recently published by two of the staff of the Anti-Trust Department of the United States Government, he will take steps to institute an inquiry in this country for the purpose of finding out to what extent there has been infiltration of German control into British industry?

4. Mr. Liddall

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has records of the pre-war infiltration of German cartels into British industries comparable to those revealed in the official American publication "Germany's Master Plan"?

Mr. Dalton

The amount of German capital invested, directly or indirectly, in British industry was very small. In these circumstances, and as commercial agreements, including cartel arrangements, with foreigners who have become enemies are now illegal, I do not consider that any useful purpose would be served by instituting the suggested inquiry. The question of cartels after the war, as the Prime Minister informed the House on 22nd July, is under consideration.

Sir H. Williams

May I ask whether the Minister has yet read this book, which was published as a result of official inquiries in the United States and which shows that a great many cartel agreements are so drawn up that they will automatically resume when the war is over?

Mr. Dalton

I have had a quick glance through the book, which certainly seems very interesting. Whether it is accurate is another matter, but at any rate it is very interesting. With regard to the post-war period, I have already referred my hon. Friend to the Prime Minister's statement that we are now considering what the policy should be regarding cartels after the war. For the moment, all those agreements with enemy persons are frustrated.

Sir H. Williams

Does not the Minister know that it is as a result of these cartel arrangements that we have been prevented in this country from producing certain things which otherwise we should have produced? Having regard to the fact that this book has been produced as a result of official inquiries, in the United States —it is the most heavily documented book I have yet seen—will he study it further?

Mr. Dalton

Yes, Sir.

Sir Percy Harris

Will the Minister consider appointing a committee of experts to study this very difficult but vitally important matter?

Mr. Stokes

Will the Minister specially call the attention of the Minister of Production to this matter, in view of that right hon. Gentleman's unsatisfactory attitude in regard to the production of synthetic rubber?

Mr. Levy

Is the Minister aware that a number of British industrialists are involved in these cartels, which are only temporarily suspended, and does he not think that if an inquiry was made, with discovery of documents, the result would be extremely illuminating to him, in relation to his post-war problems?

Mr. Dalton

We shall willingly consider any means of acquiring additional information to enable us to deal with post-war problems.