§ 4. Mr. Blackburnasked the President of the Board of Trade what principles are being adopted with regard to the recent scheme forbidding the importation into this country of learned scientific and technical books except under licence; whether he is aware that the reduction of the importation of books under this provision is a serious handicap for scientific education and the development of science in this country; and whether he will review the matter at an early date with regard to allowing greater freedom of importation.
§ Mr. H. WilsonOwing to the large dollar expenditure involved it was necessary last September to revoke the Open General Licence for import of non-fiction books. Under the new arrangements licences are granted to prewar importers of learned scientific and technical books in English to bring in up to 100 per cent. by value of their prewar imports. I am, however, prepared to consider the issue of licences for limited additional imports of technical and scientific books in English from certain European countries. Similar books in foreign languages from non-English speaking countries are licensed freely.