§ MR. THOMAS O'DONNELLI beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he has considered the necessity for adopting means for collecting statistics regarding Ireland's trade with England and foreign countries; and whether, if this cannot be done under the law as it stands, he will introduce a Bill dealing with the matter.
§ MR. LLOYD GEORGEI have already informed the hon. Member in reply to a previous Question that there is no objection to publishing an annual Return if desired giving details of the Import and Export trade of Ireland carried on directly with Foreign Countries and British Possessions and further that the Irish Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction are about to publish certain information as to the cross channel trade which they have procured through harbour and port authorities. The Board of Trade and Customs Department have no power to require details of the value of the. trade of Ireland which is carried on with or through Great Britain, and in view of the grave interference with trade, and of the expense which would be caused by the collection of such statistics, I am not prepared to introduce a Bill for the purpose.
§ MR. FLYNNIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that some twenty years ago the authorities at the Irish customs ports collected these statistics and gave returns of imports and exports?
§ MR. LLOYD-GEORGEI will inquire.