§ 13. Miss Burtonasked the President of the Board of Trade if he would be prepared to make an additional grant to the British Standards Institution so that the results of the labelling "quiz" now being carried out by that organisation may be given additional publicity.
§ Mr. P. ThorneycroftPublicity of this kind would be a matter for the British Standards Institution, which exercises its own discretion in the allocation of its funds.
§ Miss BurtonI am aware of that, but may I ask whether the President would not agree that this is a vicious circle and that, unless further publicity is given to this sort of thing, the position of the trade interests will not be affected? Would not the President give the British Standards Institution further money to bring this about?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftI have had no request for further money from the British Standards Institution, but, in any event, expenditure of this kind should be taken out of its general grant.
§ Mr. SwinglerDoes not the President agree that the question of improvement of labelling and marking is very important? Would he be prepared to assist the British Standards Institution in every way and give an assurance that any steps taken would apply equally to imported as well as home-produced goods?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftThat is rather a lot of questions, but, as the House knows, the British Standards Institution has my full support.
§ Miss BurtonBut is the right hon. Gentleman aware that nothing short of an earthquake will shift some sections of the textile industry in their opposition to consumer labelling, and is he prepared to help the British Standards Institution to change that?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftWe have to proceed on the basis of voluntary arrangements and on the basis on which the Institution has worked for a number of years. There is no reason why those who think that we should go faster should not say so, and the hon. Lady is to be counted notably among them.