§ Mr. SMITH-CARINGTONasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department how many visitors have paid for admission to the British Empire Exhibition this year up to 20th June; and what was the corresponding number last year?
Mr. SAMUELI am informed by the British Empire Exhibition authorities that the number of paying admissions to the British Empire Exhibtion from the 9th May to the 20th June this year was 1,563,456. The figures from the 10th May to the 21st June last year were 3,290,090. Experience shows that attendance is apt1308W to be moderate during the first weeks after the opening of an exhibition, and in comparing these figures it should be recollected that in the case of last year the Exhibition by the 10th May had already been open for 2½ weeks, during which the admissions had been much lower than in the first 2½ weeks of this season.