§ Major BARNETTasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether exporters who find themselves at a disadvantage owing to the formalities and delays in connection with the obtaining of export licences have been invited to enrol their names in a special register; whether firms who accept this invitation are to be informed by wire or telephone whether licences will or will not be granted; whether a fee of two guineas per annum is to be charged, to include the supply of the "Board of Trade Journal"; and, if so, what extension of the circulation of that journal is expected to be obtained by this measure?
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§ Sir A. STEEL - MAITLANDMore than ten years ago a special register was established at the Commercial Intelligence Branch of the Board of Trade—now merged in the Department of Overseas Trade—of firms desirous of receiving automatically notices affecting export trade which the Department issues as supplementary to or in advance of published notifications in the "Board of Trade Journal" or does not wish to publish at all in view of their confidential nature. I have recently arranged that in addition to the report hitherto furnished to such firms they shall receive prompt information as to changes affecting the control over exports at the same time as such changes are notified to the Press, chambers of commerce, and trade associations. The Department also undertakes to reply by telegram or telephone to firms, whether on this register or not, who inquire whether export licences will or will not be granted in respect of orders they have received from abroad. On 1st January, 1918, the annual fee payable by firms on the special register was raised from one to two guineas, and this fee includes the supply of the "Board of Trade Journal." The "Board of Trade Journal" is not now issued by, or under control of, the Department of Overseas Trade, and the question of any possible increase in the circulation was not considered when arrangements were made for the notification to firms on the special register as to the removal of export restrictions. The sale of the "Board of Trade Journal" in connection with the subscription to the special register is a small part of its total circulation.