§ MR. SEELY (Lincoln)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether his attention has been called to a White Paper (Cd. 1638) issued a few days ago in which the percentage of imports from foreign countries into the Straits Settlements is given at 65 per cent., with no comment or explanation, while in the Colonial Report for that colony (Cd. 788–30) it is given as 45 per cent.; and whether, in view of the importance of accurate figures being obtained on this subject, he will appoint a small Royal Commission to inquire into the actual state of the trade of the United Kingdom with the colonies.
§ MR. J. CHAMBERLAINThis is a colonial question, and with the permission of the hon. Member I will answer it. The explanation of the alleged discrepancy is furnished by the paragraph in the Colonial Report to which the hon. Member refers, as it states that the trade with the Malay Peninsula, Sarawak, and French India, amounting to 19.2 per cent. of the whole, is reckoned as British trade, not as foreign. The Return recently laid includes as foreign all trade which is not with the United Kingdom or British possessions.