HC Deb 03 April 1958 vol 585 cc1371-2
35. Mr. Biggs-Davison

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why the Bulletin for Industry, for March, 1958, entitled, "Some Myths Exploded," in describing Great Britain's post-war economic achievements made no mention of Commonwealth and Colonial development and did not distinguish between the Commonwealth and other parts of the free world to which the British are of economic importance as bankers, traders, investors, and as allies for defence; whether the Information Division of the Treasury will discuss the importance of the Commonwealth and sterling area to the United Kingdom economy in a further edition of the Bulletin for Industry; and whether he will make a statement.

Mr. Simon

The scope of the article "Some Myths Exploded", which was already long, did not allow of the inclusion of the Commonwealth and sterling area as a separate topic; but the Bulletin for Industry has in the last five years published 27 articles dealing wholly or in part with Commonwealth matters, and will publish others, including one on the theme my hon. Friend has suggested.

Mr. Biggs-Davison

While thanking the hon. and learned Gentleman for that undertaking, may I ask him whether his right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has studied the speech made by the Prime Minister yesterday at a meeting of the Empire Industries Association? Is not it our duty and our interest in the matter of survival to give priority to Commonwealth trade? While the Chancellor is busy exploding myths, will he try to explode some of the 19th century myths which seem to pervade the back rooms of the Treasury?

Mr. Simon

I do not think I can accept the implications in the last part of that supplementary question.

Mr. H. Wilson

Is the hon. and learned Gentleman aware that we intend to take full advantage of the forthcoming Budget debate to explode a lot of other myths which have emanated from the other side of the House? Will he confirm that the reason why the information which was asked for was omitted from this statement was because in the last six years imports from the Commonwealth have seriously fallen while imports from the dollar areas have increased, thus reversing the pre-1951 trend?

Mr. Simon

It will not have escaped the right hon. Gentleman's notice that exports to the dollar area have also increased.