§ Mr. Ellis Smithasked the President of the Board of Trade if, in the light of the 1946 Working Party's Report, and the report published in 1945 by the National Pottery Society, based on the study, he will take further action to increase the exports of the pottery industry.
§ Mr. DarlingThe principal recommendations made by the 1946 Pottery Working Party have been widely implemented. Exports of domestic pottery continue to increase and, as I said in reply to my hon. Friend on 16th December, I am ready to do whatever I can to promote further expansion.
§ Mr. Ellis Smithasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will designate as a development district the area round Stoke-on-Trent, including the Newstead Industrial Estate, as a contribution to increasing exports of pottery, with special reference to pages 4, 5, 11, 12, 14 and 22 of the Report of the National Society of Pottery Workers, published in 1945, and the Board of Trade Working Party Report on Pottery, 1946; and if he will consult the Federation of Manufacturers, the National Society of Pottery Workers and all other interests concerned in order to ensure the rapid development of the pottery export trade.
§ Mr. DarlingUnemployment in this area does not justify designating it as a development district. In reply to the second part of the question, my Department is always ready to give any assistance it can to increase exports of pottery.