§ 35. Mr. JESSONasked the Prime Minister if his attention has been called to statements being made that the present unemployment in the boot, engineering, and other industries in this country is due to over-production; whether, having regard to the fact that before the War Russia was an important customer for our manufactured goods and is now in urgent need of boots for practically the whole of her population, and motor-lorries and locomotives for the re-establishment of her transport system, while we are in equal need of the wheat, timber, and many other things we formerly imported from Russia, there are any other reasons, except mistrust of the present Russian Government, for the delay in the re-establishment of trading relations with that country?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI have seen statements attributing the present unemployment in certain industries to overproduction. As regards the latter part of the question, I have nothing to add to the answer given by the Lord Privy Seal, on Tuesday last, to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Islington East.