§ Mr. REMERasked the President of the Board of Trade what great industries are being prejudiced by the restriction of paper imports; how many employés in paper mills are at present receiving out-of-work donations; and whether the representations made to him are on the ground of scarcity of paper or the excessive price of paper?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANAmong the great industries which are being prejudiced by the restriction of imports are the following:
The newspaper industry, periodical industry, publishing industry, printing industry, box-making industry, and paper-bag making industry, 1560W together with the general run of commercial businesses to which paper is an essential article of use.
I am informed by the Ministry of Labour that on the 21st March the number of persons drawing out-of-work donation in the paper industry was as follows:
Paper manufacture 1,444 Subsidiary trades, including paper stainers, stationery men, envelope makers, paper-bag makers, cardboard-box makers, and other workers in paper 4,665 Total 6,109 The representations made to my right hon. Friend have been on the ground both of scarcity of paper and of exceessive prices asked in this country. My right hon. Friend gave his decision after consultation with various experts, but in view of the numerous representations which have been made to him in this connection, he is arranging for the appointment of a Committee to investigate fully the present position of the paper-making industry and to report to him at an early date. This Committee will consist of leading representatives of consumers and of manufacturers, together with the labour unions concerned, three Government representatives, and representatives of the Interim Industrial Reconstruction Committee.