§ 88. Mr. Bossomasked the President of the Board of Trade if, in future, he will publish in the Government periodical "Statistical Digest" the complete list of all new factories giving their address and purpose and date of approval by both his Department and the Ministry of Health.
§ Mr. BelcherNo, Sir.
§ Mr. BossomWhy not? Is it not desirable that this information should be given, stating also whether approval has been given by the Ministry of Town and Country Planning?
§ Mr. BelcherTo publish a complete list of all the factories would entail an addition of 60 pages, which I do not think would be warranted. In any case, some of the information given by industrialists is of a confidential nature, and we should not publish it.
§ Mr. ChurchillHow many copies of this volume containing these 60 additional pages would it be necessary to print in order to give the information? Why should the names of new factories not be made public? What is the secrecy about it?
§ Mr. BelcherThere is nothing secret about it at all, but at present there are 2,736 new factories, and to publish them in detail every month in the Statistical Digest would entail about 60 additional pages.
§ Mr. ChurchillWhen we are asked to pass legislation in order to produce enormous census of production returns and details of all kinds in every direction, why should not these broad, simple, practical facts be made known?
§ Mr. BelcherI think I have already given the answer. We have no desire to use more paper than is necessary. This suggestion would entail the addition of 60 pages per month to the Statistical Digest in addition to which the information given by industrialists about the purpose of their factories is very often confidential. There is no reason why we should make it public.
§ Mr. ChurchillWhy could not the 60 pages containing information of new factories be published once, and then merely additions published weekly after that? What have the Government to hide in this matter?
§ Mr. BelcherNothing at all. The Government have every reason to be proud of what they are doing, but I will consider the right hon. Gentleman's suggestion.
§ Lieut.-Commander BraithwaiteAre any of the factories working?
§ Mr. ChurchillMay I suggest that the hon. Gentleman should jettison some of this exceptional modesty, and let us have the simple facts for which we ask?
§ Mr. BelcherI am always prepared to consider any suggestion of the right hon. Gentleman.
§ Major BruceDoes my hon. Friend not agree that had he followed of his own accord the course suggested by the Opposition, he would have been accused by the Opposition of extravagance?
§ Mr. John LewisWill my hon. Friend consider publishing the figures in the "Board of Trade Journal"? Does he not think this information might be useful in assessing industrial activities, particularly in special areas?
§ Major Guy LloydThe hon. Gentleman said that the Government have every reason to be proud of what they are doing, but is it not a fact that it is the industrialists who are doing it?
§ Mr. ChurchillAm I right in assuming, at the end of this colloquy, that the Minister is going to consider—[Horn. MEMBERS: "No."]—yes, he said so. Is he going to consider the giving of this simple information?
§ Mr. BelcherIf it is possible to give this information in a convenient and simple form, I will consider it.
§ Mr. ChurchillThank you very much.
§ Colonel Gomme-DuncanIs it not a fact that the publication of these figures would be extremely embarrassing for the hon. Gentleman's colleague the Secretary of State for Scotland?
§ Mr. BelcherQuite the contrary.