§ Captain Ellistonasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that, since the shortage of Scandinavian 1039W paper, American manufacturers are exporting large supplies of toilet rolls to this country, thus capturing the home market previously supplied almost exclusively by British firms; and whether he will consider the desirability of restricting the import of these bulky goods and use cargo space to greater advantage by allowing import of paper pulp and paper in reels duty free, thus reducing the price of toilet paper to the public and preserving a valuable market for British manufacturers?
§ Mr. Harold MacmillanI have been asked to reply. The importation of toilet rolls is now prohibited save under licence, which is only given in exceptional cases, and material for making such rolls is, so far as possible, being made available. Wood pulp is imported free of duty and in the circumstances there appears to be no occasion to vary the duties on paper, but that is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.