HC Deb 25 July 1950 vol 478 cc33-4W
73. Mr. T. Brooks

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the shortage of pulp in this country; if he will use every means in his power with the public to impress upon them the great need there is for the collection of waste paper; and if he will further consider making an announcement on this matter by the British Broadcasting Corporation.

Mr. Rhodes

Supplies of pulp under contract for this year should be adequate to meet essential uses. My right hon. Friend, however, agrees upon the importance of increasing waste paper collections as a means of saving pulp and thus helping to maintain the present high rates of production of many types of paper. These collections are now falling short of consumption and he has therefore asked the Waste Paper Recovery Association, which is the appropriate trade body, whether they can submit on behalf of the mills, a scheme which would put waste paper collection by local councils on an economic long-term basis. He has also told them that if they can give him such a scheme he would be glad to commend it to those councils who have stopped collecting. It would be premature, however, to make an appeal to the public before the physical means of collection have been restored.