asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can make a statement as to the progress in the manufacture of optical glass in the United Kingdom?

The Committee which reviewed the effect of the Key Industry duties in 1926 referred in its Report (Cmd. 2631) to the progress made by this industry, and since then further advance has been made in range, quality and quantity of production. It is estimated that before the War 90 per cent. of the glass used in British optical instruments was of foreign manufacture while now about 90 per cent. of the glass so used is British.