asked the President of the Board of Trade the total amount by weight, of paper used by publications first published after 16th August 1940; and what percentage this represents of the total consumption of newsprint for the last four-monthly periods.

As no licence is now necessary to enable any new newspaper or periodical publication to be published provided that it does not use more than eight cwts. of paper in a four months period, I am unable to state the weight of paper used by publications first published after 16th August, 1940.

Is the right hon. and learned gentleman aware that the restrictions very seriously handicap journals dealing with new inventions, sucn as radar, plastics, and so on, and may have some detrimental effect on our export trade?

I am aware that many journals are, unfortunately, being hampered by shortage of paper.