HC Deb 27 October 1955 vol 545 c363
28. Mr. Grimond

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to ensure a supply of newsprint to the smaller papers.

Mr. P. Thorneycroft

Arrangements have now been completed, which will be notified shortly to all concerned, for continued supplies of newsprint to all the smaller papers at present receiving newsprint from a Scottish mill which will cease production at the end of the year.

On the general issue of decontrol, I await particulars from both the home mills and the newspapers of their proposals to safeguard the position of the smaller papers after revocation next March of the statutory controls on the distribution and use of newsprint.

Mr. Grimond

While thanking the President of the Board of Trade for that answer, because there has been considerable interest especially in Scotland about what would happen when this mill closed, may I ask him whether he will continue to keep his eye on this matter, because it would be very serious if local newspapers were put out of business by the failure of newsprint supplies?

Mr. Usborne

In view of the fact that most of this newsprint will be used for advertising, and we are all agreed that consumers are consuming too much, will this, by providing more advertising space, not encourage them to consume more?

Mr. Thorneycroft

The question of newsprint is already sufficiently complex without my starting to say what ought to be written on it.