§ 15. Mr. Bottomleyasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement about the future policy to be followed by Her Majesty's Government at world trade fairs.
§ Mr. P. ThorneycroftNo, Sir. The Exhibitions Advisory Committee, which, as I told the House on 31st October, has been reconstituted under the chairmanship of my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, is examining various aspects of policy on overseas trade fairs and I shall await its views before deciding on any changes that may be desirable.
§ Mr. BottomleyCannot the President ask the Committee to expedite its decision? Trade fairs will be starting early in the New Year, and unless we have a better policy than we have had in the past, we shall do as miserably as we have done since the present Government came into power.
§ Mr. ThorneycroftWe have broadly carried on the policy adopted by the right hon. Member when he was in power. I do not deny that there may be room for improvement. All I suggest is that we should await the views of this Committee before changing the policy.