§ MR YERBURGH (Chester)To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he will present to the House a Memorandum in reference to the various Diplomatic and Consular Reports issued by the Government since the beginning of 1899, dealing with the question of foreign trade competition, in which criticisms are made on the methods of British merchants and manufacturers in meeting that competition, similar to the Memorandum (C. 9078) presented in 1898.
(Answered by Mr. Gerald Balfour.) Steps are taken by the Board of Trade through their weekly Journal and otherwise to bring promptly to the notice of British traders such extracts from Diplomatic and Consular Reports bearing on British trade methods as seem likely to be of value for their information and guidance. I consider that this course is preferable to the publication of a general Return compiled in the way suggested, which, while of little specific value to traders with a particular market, is not altogether free from objections for reasons which I have given to the hon. Member.