§ Mr. J. Lewisasked the President of the Board of Trade (1) regarding the Circular issued by his Department to the trade Press, dated 17th November, Reference No. 1623, headed "Rubber Study Group Secretariat, established in London," to what extent the new secretariat is a British organisation, staffed by British civil servants;
(2) if he will ensure that when members or producers or manufacturers' associations are called into consultation with the Rubber Study Group Secretariat, established in London, there will be invitations tendered to members of the rubber trade Press;
(3) if any of the Governments who have accepted invitations to join the Rubber Study Group Secretariat, established in London, are making financial contributions to its maintenance; and what are the amounts of these contributions and the estimated total expenses of the Group as a whole;
(4) whether the Rubber Growers' Association or any other rubber growers have any representatives on the Rubber Study Group Secretariat, established in London.
§ Mr. BelcherThe Rubber Study Group is an intergovernmental organisation maintained by contributions from member 219W Governments assessed on the basis of a flat rate plus an additional amount proportional to their annual production or consumption (whichever is the greater) of natural and synthetic rubber. Its budget for the year 1947–48 is £10,000 and the contribution from the United Kingdom will be between £500 and £1,000 dependent on the number of countries which join. The Secretariat consists of a small administrative staff paid out of Group funds and responsible to a management committee of four member countries of the Group and no question of representation on the Secretariat of any trade or similar associations interested in rubber arises. None of the staff of the Secretariat is a British civil servant.