Dr Mont Follick: Which theatre was it?
Dr Mont Follick: As the great prestige of British aviation is now at stake because of the difficulties over the Comet, will the Minister not put the whole of the long experience of the R.A.F. at the services of De Havillands?
Dr Mont Follick: We have been listening to a very quiet, chatty debate on the Budget, but I am afraid that I shall introduce a controversial subject, and I regret that nothing was said about it in the Budget. We are faced from now onwards not with the easy export markets of which we have enjoyed the benefit since the war. We have had practically the world to ourselves. Now, not only will we be faced with...
Dr Mont Follick: I asked Mr. Speaker about this and he agreed that I could introduce it into the debate as not being in the Budget.
Dr Mont Follick: On what basis can I go on, because it is a very important subject for our overseas trade?
Dr Mont Follick: Would I be in order in drawing the attention of the House to the fact that in four British territories in East Africa there is a decimal currency based on the shilling which we could adopt in this country without requiring any new coins? Twenty-five cents in those territories make 3d., 50 cents 6d. and 100 cents a shilling. They interchange money from the United Kingdom with the money of...
Dr Mont Follick: It would not be 10d. There would be 100 cents to the shilling and the penny piece would still represent a penny piece. If you, Mr. Deputy-Speaker, will not allow me to pursue that argument and explain to the House how beneficial that would be for our overseas trade, then I think I am within the rules of order if I speak of the benefit to our overseas trade of currency reform. We are going to...
Dr Mont Follick: Not a much better one, and if the hon. Gentleman lived abroad he would know how easy it is to have decimal currency reckoning and how difficult it is to follow our reckoning. During the war, when I asked a taxi- driver why it was that he always preferred American G. Is. to British people, he replied that it was because they did not understand our currency. It is difficult, and—
Dr Mont Follick: I should like to point out that in all these other countries where there is a decimal system it is easier for their revenue officers, when dealing with Income Tax or any other source of taxation, to calculate on a decimal basis.
Dr Mont Follick: It is not so much difficult in collecting, though I think they have considerable difficulty in that direction, but we are faced with this question of competition abroad. If we are to maintain our standards of living, we cannot overlook that we must import in order to export. In order to export—
Dr Mont Follick: Very good, Mr. Deputy-Speaker. You have been generous to me. I have been watching the whole time and you have perhaps been overlooking some of my faults. I shall end by referring to post-war credits. I have taken a considerable part in the debates on that question and I received an intimation from the Financial Secretary to the effect that it was intended to make some valuable alterations in...
Dr Mont Follick: Five cents.
Dr Mont Follick: On a point of order. Is this argument any more in order than my argument was, Mr. Deputy-Speaker?
Dr Mont Follick: Do the United States give preferential terms for Press telegrams?
Dr Mont Follick: Will the hon. Member please speak up a little?
Dr Mont Follick: Yes, but I wish to hear what the hon. Gentleman is saying.
Dr Mont Follick: On a point of order. As the answer is so long, would it not have been better if the right hon. Gentleman had answered these Questions separately, and saved time?
Dr Mont Follick: Is the Minister aware that the British Museum was founded on the results of a national lottery, and as Gibraltar has a licence under the Crown for a lottery, could we not have one in this country to supply some of these needs?
Dr Mont Follick: If, in a breeding licence for a non-pedigree boar, the word was spelt "bore" would it make any difference?
Dr Mont Follick: Chicory, chicory dock.
