HC Deb 26 February 1948 vol 447 c2101
22. Mr. Turton

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the number of the staff at present employed on duties in connection with the Statistics of Trade Act, 1947; in how many counties are these inquiries being conducted; and what has so far been the cost of carrying out the provisions of the Act.

Mr. H. Wilson

The work authorised by the Statistics of Trade Act, 1947, has not yet commenced. A staff of 353 is at present employed in the Census Office on duties which include certain preliminary work for the censuses of production and distribution that will be taken under the Act.

Mr. Turton

Are we to understand from that that no inquiries are being made as to how much trade is being conducted in the retail shops?

Mr. Wilson

There is the pilot census of retail distribution, about which I have given information to the House.