16. Mr. Scott-Elliotasked the President of the Board of Trade what was the value of our exports of machinery to Canada last year; and what was the comparable figure for 1937.
§ Mr. H. WilsonThe value of our exports of machinery to Canada in 1948 was just over £5,100,000 compared with just over £1,400,000 in 1937.
Mr. Scott-ElliotIs my right hon. Friend aware that last year we sent abroad about £250 million worth of machinery altogether, and that the amount going to the Canadian market was disappointingly small?
§ Mr. WilsonIt was because we felt that the amount could be increased, given co-operation both from our engineering industry and from the Canadian purchasers, that we sent the Gilpin Mission to Canada, and that Mission has just reported.
17. Mr. Scott-Elliotasked the President of the Board of Trade in how many Canadian centres do the British Trade Commissioners maintain offices; and what is the total staff employed other than clerical staff.
§ Mr. H. WilsonThere are United Kingdom Trade Commissioners in five centres in Canada, namely Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver and Winnipeg, and Imperial Trade Correspondents at St. John's (New Brunswick) and Halifax (Nova Scotia). There is also an Imperial Trade Correspondent at St. John's (Newfoundland). The total staff other than clerical is 25.
Mr. Scott-ElliotWith a view to stimulating exports still further in the Canadian market, will my right hon. Friend consider extending the series of offices into other centres?
§ Mr. WilsonYes, Sir, if that becomes necessary. This matter is under close review at the present moment.
§ 20. Mr. Cobbasked the President of the Board of Trade to what extent British exports to Canada are obstructed by Canadian patent law.
§ Mr. H. WilsonThe term of Canadian patents is generally longer than in this country, and does not depend upon the payment of renewal fees. Apart from these factors, United Kingdom exports to Canada are not, so far as I am aware, at present unduly restricted by Canadian patent law, which operates, like the patent laws of other countries, to confer upon patentees the right to prevent the use by unauthorised persons of the patented inventions within the territory covered by the patents.
§ Mr. CobbDoes not Canadian patent law prohibit the import and sale of articles whioh are patented and manufactured in Canada; does not this cover a very wide range of goods; and would not discussions with the Canadian Government perhaps enable us to increase our exports to Canada over this range?
§ Mr. WilsonOur information is that the difficulty which I think my hon. Friend has in mind relates to cartel arrangements and not to patents, but if my hon. Friend will let me have any details of what precisely he has in mind I shall be glad to go into it with the Canadian authorities.
§ 23. Sir P. Hannonasked the President of the Board of Trade the nature and extent of the organised effort in process to stimulate the interest of British manufacturers in the International Trade Fair to be held at Toronto from 30th May to 10th June this year; and what special facilities will be made available to encourage the largest possible number of exhibits of articles needful in the Canadian market being shown at the Fair.
§ Mr. H. WilsonMy officials have been working in close and continuous contact with the Canadian Government Exhibition Commission in Ottawa and Canadian officials in London, for the last 12 months to bring home to United Kingdom manufacturers the importance of the Canadian International Trade Fair. They have taken every opportunity to urge United Kingdom participation in the Fair, in view of the paramount importance we attach to the Canadian market.
§ Sir P. HannonIs the President of the Board of Trade in contact with the Chambers of Commerce and the various trade organisations of this country with the object of encouraging attendance and the presentation of our exports?
§ Mr. WilsonYes, Sir, with Chambers of Commerce and also with trade associations and development councils.
§ 24. Sir P. Hannonasked the President of the Board of Trade if he has considered the report of the recent United Kingdom Engineering Mission to Canada of British industrialists headed by Mr. Harry Gilpin; and what positive action is contemplated in view of the recommendations by Mr. Gilpin for the expansion of Anglo-Canadian trade.
§ Mr. H. WilsonI have considered the report of the United Kingdom Engineering Mission with great care. We are greatly indebted to Sir Harry Gilpin and his colleagues for their most valuable 1376 report, which I have publicly commended to the attention of the whole engineering industry. We are doing everything we can to encourage the industry to apply, at once, its positive recommendations.
§ Sir P. HannonDoes the President contemplate encouraging similar missions to other parts of the Commonwealth in the near future?
§ Mr. WilsonI should require notice of that question, but we have already encouraged the sending of similar missions to Canada in different industries.