HC Deb 19 October 1943 vol 392 cc1183-5
1. Commander Sir Archibald Southby

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many new branches have been opened since September, 1939, by multiple and chain stores and co-operative societies; and how many small individual businesses have been closed during that period?

9. Mr. Doland

asked the President of the Board of Trade what number of applications have been received from members of His Majesty's Forces overseas and members of the Merchant Navy to have their names added to the register of traders who have withdrawn from retail trade since the war began; and how many have made application by proxy?

18. Major Petherick

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many shops in the United Kingdom owned by British subjects have been closed down since the beginning of the war; how many licences have been granted to aliens to open shops since the same date; and how many of these aliens are of enemy origin?

The President of the Board of Trade (Mr. Dalton)

For figures of the number of licences granted for new shops, according to their different categories, between 1st January, 1942, when the Location of Retail Businesses Order came into force, and June 30th, 1943, I would refer my hon. Friends to my reply to a Question on this subject on the 21st September. Not more than 30 licences were issued to aliens, and the number granted to aliens of enemy origin must, therefore, have been very small. I regret that figures for the period before the Location of Retail Businesses Order came into force are not available. So far 12,000 traders have applied for inclusion on the Register of Withdrawing Traders. To extract figures showing how many applications have been made by persons called up for National Service, and how many by proxy, would entail an expenditure of time and effort, which, with the small staff available for this work, I could not at present justify.

Sir A. Southby

May I ask my right hon. Friend what saving of man-power and woman-power has been effected by the closing of small businesses and how much this has been offset by the necessity for providing extra staffs for the cooperative societies and multiple chain stores to enable them to cope with the extra business which they have taken from the small trader?

Mr. Dalton

I think my hon. and gallant friend has not read the answer.

Sir A. Southby

On a point of Order. May I be informed how I can read an answer which has not yet been given to a question which I have only just asked?

Mr. Dalton

I am only anxious to give information in the most convenient way. On 21st September I gave an answer, which was printed in Hansard, which perhaps my hon. and gallant friend sometimes peruses, and in that answer I stated that of the 2,969 licences granted to new shops 2,796 were for individual traders— the vast majority—122 to multiples, 34 to co-operative societies, 11 to variety chain stores and 6 to departmental chain stores. That shows that the observations he made in the latter part of his supplementary question is completely out of focus and wrong. With regard to the saving of man-power, it has been very considerable, but that is a question concerning the Minister of Labour, who would be better able to give information about that.

Major Petherick

Is not the telescoping of three Questions into one when they deal with completely different points really very confusing indeed? If that were not done the replies would be easier to understand.

Mr. Dalton

The answer is given in this form only with the permission of hon. Members, which is asked for and is normally given, in order to save time by the avoidance of repetition. I endeavour always to group only Questions which can be answered together for the convenience of the House. If there is anything which my hon. and gallant Friend has put which I have not answered I shall be glad to do so.

Mr. Doland

With regard to Question No. 9, I am sorry that the Minister cannot answer that categorically, but is he satisfied himself that sufficient is being done to draw the attention of those who are overseas to the fact that they can register in the manner he has stated?

Mr. Dalton

I have done my best to give full publicity to this matter. I have been in close contact with the National Chamber of Trade, with which my hon. and gallant Friend is associated, and I shall be glad to do anything further to give additional publicity.

Major Petherick

On a point of Order. As I am rather confused by the reply, may I have an answer to my Question?

Mr. De la Bère

Is not this telescoping technique very undesirable?

Major Petherick

Further to my point of Order, may I have a reply to my question?

Mr. Speaker

I have called the next Question.