§ 6. Mr. Robert Howarthasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the 12 principal importers of low-cost cotton yarn and cloth from Portugal for the last two years, giving details of the companies' names and location of head office.
§ Mr. JayNo, Sir. It is not normal practice to disclose information about the affairs of individual firms.
§ Mr. HowarthNone the less, does my right hon. Friend agree that it is a genuine public interest to know who are these people who are determined to line their pockets irrespective of the effect on the Lancashire textile industry? Is he aware of the report which appeared in The Times last week of what was reputed to be a complaint of Portuguese manufacturers who said that British importers were threatening them with legal action because they, the Portuguese, were restricting the imports which they were sending to this country? Is not this outrageous?
§ Mr. JayIt may be of public interest, but it cannot be a duty of my Department 1578 to reveal information which it has received confidentially. Indeed, if this information were disclosed, some people might learn where cheaper imported products were available.
§ Mr. Fletcher-CookeIf the right hon. Gentleman cannot disclose that information—I understand that he cannot—will he now disclose the details of his agreement with the Portuguese authorities, which has been widely reported in some detail in the Press?
§ Mr. JayNo, Sir. I must adhere to the statement which I have already made, which was carefully agreed with the Portuguese authorities.