§ 1. Mr. Nabarroasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can free plywood from control, in a similar fashion to the recent decontrol of native and imported hardwoods; and whether he will make an early statement on the subject.
§ The President of the Board of Trade (Mr. Harold Wilson)I presume by decontrol the hon. Gentleman means reversion to private purchase, not freeing of control over consumption. The Government has recently decided that imports of plywood from a large number of countries, excluding Finland, Russia, Sweden and dollar sources shall be handed over to private trade. The possibility of extending this list of countries will be kept under review. I shall also very shortly be freeing from consumption licensing all those types of plywood for which I am satisfied that supply is reasonably likely to meet demand.
§ Mr. NabarroIs the President of the Board of Trade aware of the very great gratification and pleasure that this measure of decontrol will give?
§ Major Tufton BeamishCan the right hon. Gentleman say why Finland has been excluded, and is he aware that the exporters and the Government in that country are extremely anxious to return to the private channels of trading?
§ Mr. WilsonFinland and Sweden were excluded because, under the present arrangements, all the plywood for this year had been bought by Timber Control.
§ Mr. PorterDoes plywood include all sorts of laminated wood?
§ Mr. WilsonI should want notice of what is included.