asked the President of the Board of Trade how many new daily or weekly periodicals have been authorised for issue since 1st January, 1947, and if he will state their names.

One daily newspaper in Chinese entitled "Chiao Sheng Pao." That means the "Voice of the Overseas Chinese." Periodicals using less than eight cwts. of paper in four months do not, however, require specific authorisation.

Is it not a fact that recently a chain of Socialist newspapers has been authorised to appear, and will the Minister give an assurance that the allocation of paper to newspapers and periodicals will not be made on a political basis?

I have said that the only paper authorised for issue since 1st January, 1947, is the Chinese paper to which I referred, which, so far as I know, is not a Socialist periodical.

Is it considered necessary?

It was considered so by the Foreign Office.

Will the Minister make further inquiries about the chain of newspapers?