§ LORD ROBERT CECIL (Marylebone, E.)To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will state the total value of manufactured articles imported into 269 this country from British Possessions during the years 1903, 1904, and 1905; how far these were similar to and in competition with articles produced in the United Kingdom; and whether this competition shows signs of increasing.
(Answered by Mr. Lloyd-George.) The values of the articles classed in the trade accounts as wholly or mainly manufactured, imported into the United Kingdom from British Possessions in 1903, 1904, and 1905 were £14,119,830, £14,577,602, and £15,940,765, respectively. Over three-quarters of these imports consisted of unwrought tin and copper, drugs and dry stuffs, undressed leather, and jute manufactures. The last two categories may be said to compete with the United Kingdom manufactures. Of these the imports of leather from British Possessions showed an increase, and of those of jute manufactures a decrease, in 1905.