§ 14. Sir Waldron Smithersasked the President of the Board of Trade how many new daily or weekly periodicals have been authorised for issue since 1st January, 1947, and if he will state their names.
§ The President of the Board of Trade (Mr. Harold Wilson)One daily newspaper in Chinese entitled "Chiao Sheng 1980 Pao." That means the "Voice of the Overseas Chinese." Periodicals using less than eight cwts. of paper in four months do not, however, require specific authorisation.
§ Sir W. SmithersIs it not a fact that recently a chain of Socialist newspapers has been authorised to appear, and will the Minister give an assurance that the allocation of paper to newspapers and periodicals will not be made on a political basis?
§ Mr. WilsonI have said that the only paper authorised for issue since 1st January, 1947, is the Chinese paper to which I referred, which, so far as I know, is not a Socialist periodical.
§ Mr. Wilson HarrisIs it considered necessary?
§ Mr. WilsonIt was considered so by the Foreign Office.
§ Sir W. SmithersWill the Minister make further inquiries about the chain of newspapers?