§ MR. WHITE RIDLEY (Stalybridge)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will grant the Returns appearing on to-day's Notice Paper regarding cotton, woollen, and iron goods.
§ MR. BONAR LAWThe information which the hon. Member desires will involve great labour on the part of the Department, and I must ask him to be good enough to give sufficient notice to enable the matter to be properly considered in connection with other requests for information of a kindred nature. If the hon. Member will communicate with me in a week's time, I shall then be able to give him a definite reply.
Appended are the notices referred to in the Question:—1. Mr. Matthew Ridley—Cotton—Return showing for each year from 1890 to 1902, inclusive; (a) with regard to the United Kingdom (1) total consumption of cotton in the United Kingdom, with particulars of the chief sources of supply; (2) total exports of cotton manufactures from the United Kingdom to foreign countries, to self-governing colonies, to India, and to other British Possessions; (3) total imports of cotton manufactures into the United Kingdom; (b) with regard to the United States and Germany (1) total consumption of cotton; (2) total exports of cotton manufactures; (3) total imports of cotton manufactures, giving separately the amount of such imports from the United Kingdom. 2. Mr. Matthew Kidley—Woollen Goods—Return showing for each year from 1890 to 1902, inclusive; (a) with regard to the United Kingdom (1) total production of woollen manufactures; 19 (2) total exports, quantities and values, of woollen manufactures to foreign countries, self-governing colonies, India, and other British Possessions; (3) total imports of woollen manufactures; (b) with regard to the United States and Germany (1) total production of woollen manufactures; (2) total exports, quantities and values, of woollen manufactures; (3) total imports, quantities and values, of woollen manufactures, giving separately the quantities and values of such imports from the United Kingdom. 3. Mr. Matthew Ridley—Iron and Steel—Return showing for each year from 1890 to 1902, inclusive; (a) with regard to the United Kingdom (1) total production of iron and steel manufactures; (2) total exports, quantities and values, of iron and steel manufactures to foreign countries, to self-governing colonies, to India, and to other British Possessions; (3) total imports of iron and steel manufactures; (b) with regard to the United States and Germany (1) total production of iron and steel manufactures; (2) total exports, quantities and values, of iron and steel manufactures; (3) total imports, quantities and values, of iron and steel manufactures, giving separately the quantities and values of such imports from the United Kingdom.