§ 14. Mrs. Castleasked the Minister of State, Board of Trade, as representing the Minister of Materials, what steps he proposes to take to help Universal Leather Goods Limited, of Blackburn, to obtain the paper board essential to their production and to the fulfilment of their export orders from the United States of America.
Mr. AmoryThis firm has already been offered a licence to import the supplies which they require. They are also free to buy anywhere in the home market.
§ Mrs. CastleIs the Minister aware that the offer to import is of no value, because the price of Dutch strawboard, which is the alternative to British paper board, is much too high to enable this firm to keep up its very fine export job in a difficult dollar market, as the right hon. Gentleman's Department is controlling the supply through the restriction of imports of paper and pulp? Will he see that supplies are allocated on export performance, as was done under the Labour Government?
Mr. AmoryThat would involve direction of distribution, and the Government 9 are not prepared to consider it. We have done everything possible to help this firm by giving it a special licence to import; and, of course, the market at home is open to it.
§ Mrs. CastleIs the Minister aware that under the Labour Government this firm could always get supplies, even at a time of scarcity, because the Board of Trade helped firms which did a good job for their country by exporting? Have the present Government completely washed their hands of all responsibility for helping firms to get raw materials for dollar exports?
§ Mr. SpeakerMr. Vane.
§ Mrs. CastleIn view of the totally unsatisfactory situation, I give notice that I shall raise this matter again later.