§ 25. Mr. Hurdasked the Minister of State, Board of Trade, as representing the Minister of Materials, what further provision he is allowing for the forward purchase of newsprint and pulp supplies for 1955, bearing in mind the inadequate supplies which have resulted from last-minute contracts sought with Scandinavia and Canada; and if the provision now proposed will be sufficient to free the newspapers from newsprint rationing.
Mr. AmoryMy noble Friend announced on 20th May in another place that Her Majesty's Government has agreed to the import of an additional 50,000 tons of newsprint from non-dollar sources in 1955 and, as I informed the House on 3rd May, an additional 50,000 tons from Canada has already been approved. Representatives of the newspapers earlier informed my noble Friend that, with some increase in supplies from the home mills, the quantities of newsprint now made available for 1955 should enable the present statutory control over distribution to be lifted. My noble Friend56W is now discussing with the representatives of the newspapers whether this will, in fact, be the case.