§ 13. Mr. Sparksasked the President of the Board of Trade the number of bankruptcies in 1951 and each subsequent year to the nearest convenient date.
§ The President of the Board of Trade (Mr. Peter Thorneycroft)1,816, 2,043, 2,222 and 2,176.
§ Mr. SparksDo not those very high figures of bankruptcies indicate that a large number of small people were misled by the propaganda of the right hon. Gentleman's party at the last Election?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftBetween 1948 and 1951 there was an increase of 60 per cent. in bankruptcies, but I am bound to say that much worse things than that could be said against the record of the previous Administration.