§ 2. Mr. Ellis Smithasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish a British trade magazine like the publication issued by the Italian Foreign Trade Ministry especially catering for the export trade.
§ Mr. ErrollThis matter has been carefully considered on several occasions and I have consulted my Export Publicity Council. The conclusion has always been that taking into account the great range and complexity of British exports, better results are achieved by the present method of distribution of material to the overseas Press through the official information services.
§ Mr. Ellis SmithI have no doubt the right hon. Gentleman has, but has he seen the Italian publication? It is a very fine document which is bound to stimulate great interest among all who read it. Now that we are setting out to increase our exports—and we need to increase them more—should not something on these lines be done?
§ Mr. ErrollYes, they send me a copy to my constituency address and I therefore look at it fairly closely. But, having looked at it closely, I still think that our present arrangements are better because a Government-sponsored publication of that sort, besides competing with the excellent range of British specialist weekly and monthly periodicals, might savour of propaganda.
§ Sir Harmar NichollsWould my right hon. Friend look again at this question? Would he consider the possibility that 1701 the advantage of the magazine is that it has rather more permanence than the daily issue of news to the normal periodicals and dailies?
§ Mr. ErrollI have thought of the point raised by my hon. Friend, and I think that our methods get the story across to potential buyers probably more effectively than the magazine of the type suggested.
§ Mr. W. YatesWill the Minister, by the time the House assembles for the winter Session, give us a more favourable reply?
§ Mr. ErrollI cannot say that I will give a more favourable reply, but I will certainly examine what has been put forward in supplementary questions this afternoon.