§ 27. Mr. Walter Fletcherasked the President of the Board of Trade the total expenditure made, and to be made, in dollars for cotton purchased from the United States of America during the six months ended 31st May, 1949.
§ Mr. H. WilsonAs I informed the hon. Member on 17th June, 1948, I cannot give information about purchases made of particular growths by the Raw Cotton Commission.
§ Mr. FletcherIs not the right hon. Gentleman aware that there is great anxiety as to the amount in dollars that is going out for this, against the amount of dollars that may be coming in; and will he not realise that it is in the public interest occasionally to give these figures, 432 as has been done in the case of other commodities?
§ Mr. WilsonNo, Sir. I think that to publish figures for the currency available for the purchase of any particular type of cotton would greatly hamper our buying policy. That would apply equally whether we were buying on public or private account.