HC Deb 11 November 1948 vol 457 cc1722-3
52. Sir John Mellor

asked the Minister of Labour how he calculates the number of persons employed upon production for export as published in the Monthly Digest of Statistics.

Mr. Isaacs

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Stafford (Mr. Swingler) on 7th May, of which I am sending him a copy.

Sir J. Mellor

Is not much of the Minister's information inevitably inexact—in regard, for instance, to firms manufacturing material for use by other firms in this country? How can they possibly know what proportion of their production will ultimately be exported?

Mr. Isaacs

If the hon. Gentleman will look at the reply which I gave I think he will find that we make every effort to secure proper information. We are no more inexact in our replies than the hon. Gentleman sometimes is in his Questions.