§ 38. Mr. AUBREY HERBERTasked the Prime Minister whether it is owing to the decisions of the Supreme Council that there is war in Asia Minor and that, consequently, hardly any corn or foodstuffs have been exported during 1919 for consumption in this country and that exports have ceased in 1920; and if this has added to the cost of living in Great Britain?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANIn the last calendar year before the War, 1913, the imports into this country from Turkey in Asia (including Asia Minor) in the class of food, drink and tobacco were, by weight, 1.1 per cent. of our total imports of foodstuffs. In 1919 our imports of foodstuffs from Turkey in Asia were 0.5 per cent. of our total imports of foodstuffs. A prohibition of the exportation of foodstuffs from Smyrna has been put into force, and there have been no imports of these commodities during the present year. My right hon. Friend does not consider that the cessation of these imports from Turkey in Asia has had any appreciable effect on the cost of living in the United Kingdom. It cannot be assumed that there would have been a normal export in the absence of disturbance. My right hon. Friend does not agree with the suggestion of my hon. Friend as to the cause of the war in Asia Minor.