§ 44. Mr. Haleasked the President of the Board of Trade whether Mr. Ronald Harley, 5, Rhodes Street, Oldham, can now hear the result of his application for a licence to manufacture furniture made to the Board of Trade, Manchester, ten weeks ago, and the subject of a letter from the junior Member for Oldham on 27th February last.
§ Mr. H. WilsonMr. Harley's licence was sent to him on 18th March.
§ 59. Mr. Haleasked the President of the Board of Trade why Mr. Ronald Harley, of 5, Rhodes Street, Oldham, was told by the Board of Trade, Manchester, that his reference of an application for a licence to manufacture furniture to his Member of Parliament would result in further delay.
§ Mr. H. WilsonI have made inquiries and find that the remark of which my hon. Friend complains was part of a telephone conservation where some heat had been engendered on both sides. It meant that this case, whose history involved352W some difficulties, was on the point of being settled and that to open up a further channel of correspondence would for purely mechanical reasons involve some small further delay. This was strictly true, but I regret that the statement might have led my hon. Friend to infer that my Department discourages approaches by the public to its Parliamentary representatives.