§ 77. Mr. Nallyasked the President of the Board of Trade what action is now being taken by his Department to ensure that the undertaking given to him by certain football pool proprietors not to exceed 2½ per cent. of their prewar paper consumption is being observed; and how many of the existing football pool firms did not give such undertaking arid are not bound by it.
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade (Mr. Belcher)In reply to the first part of the Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to him on 16th October last. As regards the second part, so far as paper consumption is concerned, we have no record of the number of pools in operation, but the undertaking is obtained from all pool promoters for whose requirements paper is licensed. In the case of promoters who do not obtain paper by way of licence, no such undertaking is obtained.
§ Mr. NallyAm I to assume from my hon. Friend's reply that, so far as the vast majority of football pool firms in this country are concerned, my hon. Friend's Department has no assurance whatsoever and no agreement of any kind to restrict the amount of paper they are able to purchase?
§ Mr. BelcherYes, Sir. These small pools are not licensed to acquire paper and, therefore, they acquire it from merchants who supply it from their stocks. We have no information on the amount they have.
§ Mr. Henry StraussIs it an intended or an unintended result of the Government's policy that football pools are now our most prosperous industry?