§ 7. Mr. Cooperasked the Minister of Supply what is the average time taken by the section of his Department which acts as the production authority and gives advice on essentiality to the Board of Trade, on matters affecting the licensing of imports of essential machinery and components, for notifying their decisions to the Board of Trade, especially where urgent decisions are required by industrialists wishing to manufacture in this country for export.
§ Mr. G. R. StraussThe average time taken by my Department in advising the Board of Trade on applications for licences to import machinery is 14 days, 922 but exceptional cases requiring detailed consultation with other Departments may take longer.
§ Mr. CooperDoes my right hon. Friend realise that the delay is very much in excess of 14 days in some cases, and that industrialists have been told by the Board of Trade that his own Department is to blame? Will he look into the rather lengthy procedure which is required in some cases in order to see whether it can be smoothed out?
§ Mr. StraussI would like to shorten the time if possible, but my right hon. Friend will realise that long and careful inquiries have sometimes to be made before an import licence is granted in respect of machinery to make sure that the machinery is not produced in this country or will not be so produced in the near future.
§ Mr. CooperIs it not possible that some of the decisions are made by people who do not understand particular industries?