HC Deb 12 December 1945 vol 417 c416
71. Mr. Leslie

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will consider reducing the supply of paper to publishers of trashy novels and adding the surplus thus saved to the quotas of local weekly newspapers.

Mr. Ellis Smith

I am afraid that my hon. Friend's suggestion is not practicable.

Mr. Leslie

Would my hon. Friend not agree with the advisability of reducing the amount of paper which is used for trashy novels and giving it to weekly newspapers which are serving a really useful purpose?

Mr. Smith

If it was the same kind of paper, the amount saved would be infinitesimal compared with the needs of the weekly newspapers.

Lieut.-Colonel Sir Thomas Moore

Would the Socialist propaganda publications be included in the term "trashy"?