§ Mr. ARCHDALEasked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the fact that the present authorised proportion of 50 per cent, of the 1913 importation of glass bottles is now entirely inadequate in consequence of the inability of British manufacturers to supply the quantity required through shortage of coal and other reasons, it is now feasible to withdraw all restrictions in the importation of foreign bottles and thus prevent serious loss of business to many traders whose main business is in bottled goods?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANThis matter is now under consideration.
§ Mr. CAUTLEYasked the President of the Board of Trade whether a Committee representing the chemical industry has been appointed to advise the Board of Trade on the question of prohibition of the importation of chemicals; when such Committee was appointed and by whom; will he give the names of the members of this Committee; and whether the Proclamation issued on 25th June prohibiting the importation of chemicals of all kinds was issued under the Defence of the Realm Act?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANThe Committee was appointed by the Board of Trade to advise the Department of Import Restrictions as to the issue of licences for the importation of chemicals, and held its first meeting on the 7th July. In addition to official representatives of the Board of Trade and the Ministry of Health the following are members of the Committee: Mr. T. D. Morson and Mr.R. H. Bewick, of the Association of British Chemical Manufacturers; Mr. W. F. Reid, of the Society of Chemical Industry; Mr. E. White, of the Pharmaceutical Society; Mr. T. E. Lescher, of the Drug Club, and Mr. W. Mann, of the British Chemical Trades Association. The Proclamation, like other Prohibition of Import Proclamations, was issued under Section 43 of the Customs Consolidation Act.