HC Deb 18 May 1908 vol 188 cc1652-6
MR. B. S. STRAUS (Tower Hamlets, Mile End)

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he can give the amount of hops imported into this country up to 1st May this year, and the average amount imported during a similar period for the last five years; and whether there has been an increase in the importation of hops since the agitation to put a duty upon hops commenced some time ago.

THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. CHURCHILL,) Dundee

The quantity of hops imported into this country during the first four months of this year was 150,758 cwts. The average quantity imported during the corresponding period of the five previous years was 63,609 cwts. In view of the large fluctuations in the imports of hops, I propose to give the monthly figures for the last five years in the Votes. These figures will afford the information asked for in the last part of the Question.

Appended is the Table above referred to:—

The following table shows the quantity of Hops imported into the United Kingdom in each month of each of the years from 1903 to 1907 inclusive, and in each of the first four months of 1908.
YEARS.
MONTHS. 1903. 1904. 1905. 1906. 1907. 1908.
Cwts. Cwts. Cwts. Cwts. Cwts. Cwts.
January 21,372 46,922 11,091 30,578 28,827 34,980
February 8,613 31,720 7,833 27,810 24,346 24,978
March 5,256 6,949 3,372 11,609 13,811 33,279
April 3,095 4,270 5,215 14,129 11,476 57,521
May 2,455 3,434 3,204 4,399 5,789 —
June 6,632 2,481 1,521 10,271 6,232 —
July 5,493 3,014 522 14,249 16,247 —
August 5,684 5,483 1,529 5,756 13,013 —
September 10,953 28,117 4,606 9,032 9,603 —
October 6,278 65,530 14,165 23,092 24,290 —
November 14,075 67,505 22,593 50,847 29,065 —
December 24,092 48,242 33,252 30,847 19,625 —
TOTAL FOR THE YEAR 113,998 313,667 108,953* 232,619 202,324 —
* Revised figure. The total of the separate monthly amounts is 108,903 cwts.

MR. STANLEY WILSON (Yorkshire, E.R., Holderness)

May I ask if the right hon. Gentleman intends to do anything to save this important industry?

[No Answer was returned.]

SIR GILBERT PARKER

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade, what were the average importations of hops for the five-year periods 1876–80, 1881–85, 1886–90, 1891–95, 1896–1900, 1901–1906, and also for the year 1907, respectively; what were the average exports of hops for the same period; what is the estimated value of hops imported and exported for the periods named, respectively; what was the amount of hops used in the brewing industry in the year 1907 and the value thereof; and what was the value of the hop substitutes employed in the brewing industry during the year 1907.

MR. CHURCHILL

I will have a statement with regard to the imports and exports of hops in the years mentioned printed in the Votes. In the year ended September 30th, 1907, 624,432 cwts. of hops and 263 cwts. Of hop substitutes were used for brewing in the United Kingdom, but I am unable to give any information as to their value.

Appended is the Statement referred to:—

The following statement shows the quantity and value of hops imported into and exported from the United Kingdom in the years and periods referred to in the Question:—
Year, &c. Quantities. Values.
Imports into the United Kingdom. Exports of British Hops. Foreign and Colonial Hops re-exported. Imports into the United Kingdom. Exports of British Hops. Foreign and Colonial Hops re-exported.
Cwts. Cwts. Cwts. £ £ £
1876 167,366 20,305 17,307 763,440 144,736 94,104
1877 250,039 13,508 5,624 1,170,621 88,635 28,175
1878 168,834 12,520 4,804 631,567 57,220 15,751
1879 262,765 7,153 2,355 1,217,938 43,771 12,222
1880 195,987 9,018 11,874 900,891 52,647 33,392
Annual Average, 1876–1880 208,998 12,501 8,393 936,891 77,402 36,729
1881 147,559 13,727 9,463 695,297 81,078 29,605
1882 319,620 8,186 5,908 2,962,631 81,534 47,087
1883 129,900 8,787 14,025 1,089,246 90,462 197,686
1884 256,777 8,913 9,343 1,615,309 55,234 43,833
1885 266,952 7,094 7,364 1,001,728 40,410 21,361
Annual Average, 1881–1885 224,162 9,341 9,221 1,472,842 69,744 67,914
1886 153,759 19,142 50,181 447,253 70,752 153,654
1887 145,122 12,515 15,245 427,753 49,994 32,096
1888 216,606 8,289 6,522 799,391 48,382 20,479
1889 199,384 10,293 7,748 713,094 51,012 32,248
1890 188,028 6,164 6,330 877,704 49,509 25,994
Annual Average, 1886–1890 180,580 11,281 17,205 653,039 53,930 52,894
1891 195,266 5,763 3,977 980,050 45,909 23,886
1892 187,507 5,798 4,875 960,280 41,955 27,453
1893 204,392 11,584 7,092 1,141,294 79,884 33,694
1894 189,155 13,317 7,522 774,378 65,388 25,519
1895 217,161 10,145 2,929 644,505 37,160 10,745
Annual Average, 1891–1895 198,696 9,321 5,279 900,101 54,059 24,259
1896 207,041 10,505 2,798 591,582 34,548 8,011
1897 164,154 10,779 4,715 524,297 43,841 8,661
1898 244,136 12,955 7,434 1,030,140 71,321 26,983
1899 180,233 11,310 3,297 809,842 65,325 16,715
1900 198,494 14,999 3,586 795,479 63,526 10,005
Annual Average, 1896–1900 198,812 12,110 4,366 750,268 55,712 14,075
1901 116,042 18,192 4,906 461,355 79,575 18,305
1902 191,324 15,785 7,450 798,586 68,830 21,401
1903 113,998 22,317 7,962 578,739 125,826 44,773
1904 313,667 13,878 6,191 1,839,854 104,846 32,497
1905 108,953 16,254 9,421 456,280 80,986 51,561
Annual Average, 1901–1905 168,797 17,285 7,186 826,963 92,013 33,707
1906 232,619 11,608 3,128 852,476 57,053 11,611
1907 202,324 10,435 6,770 764,881 48,731 24,684