§ Captain BOWYERasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention had been called to the strenuous efforts now being made, against many difficulties, by certain British manufacturers to develop and extend the manufacture of thorium nitrate, incandescent mantles, or mantle rings in this country; whether he has considered the recommendations embodied in paragraph 23 of the Interim Report on Certain Essential Industries, made by the Committee on Commercial and Industrial Policy, presided over by Lord Balfour of Burleigh, namely, that the manufacture of the mantles is obviously of great importance, especially in respect of efficient illumination and the conservation of coal supplies; whether he is aware that it is estimated that 112,000,000 tons of coal per annum can be saved as a result of using gas-mantles instead of flat-flame burners; and whether, with the object of safeguarding a new enterprise, which may result in the creation of an important national industry, he proposes to take adequate measures to safeguard the manufacturers of the articles referred to in this question from unfair foreign competition?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI am aware of the position of the industries in question, and of their importance as regards economy of gas. I am not, however, at present in a position to make any statement as to the policy of His Majesty's Government, but I hope to be able to do so at an early date.