§ Mr. Awberyasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he has considered the Report of the Rubber Study Group which recently met in London; and what effect it is likely to have upon the rubber industry in Colonial Territories in the near future.
§ Mr. LytteltonI am considering the Report of the Management Committee of the Rubber Study Group with the Governments of rubber-producing territories with which I am concerned. Those recommendations which relate to synthetic rubber and stocks of natural rubber are intended to benefit producers of natural rubber in the near future.
The Government participating in the Rubber Study Group have not yet expressed their views on these recommendations. It has been announced, however, that the United States Government has relaxed regulations under which the use of synthetic rubber could be made mandatory and that there is to be an early review of policy affecting natural rubber.