HC Deb 23 March 1922 vol 152 cc666-7
49. Mr. HASLAM

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in order to ascertain approximately the relative industrial activity of Germany and Great Britain, respectively, in terms of units of heat, he will state the tonnage of coal and lignite exported by Germany in 1913 and 1921, respectively; will he also state the approximate tonnage of coal and lignite, respectively, used for German home consumption in 1913 and 1921, respectively, and also the tonnage of coal used for home purposes in the United Kingdom during the above-named years, showing the tonnage of coal used in each of those years for domestic and industrial purposes, and bunker coal, separately?

Mr. BALDWIN

As the answer involves a statistical statement, I will, with the permission of the House, circulate it in the OFFICIAL BEPORT.

The following is the statement:

The following statement shows, in tons avoirdupois, the quantities of coal produced in the United Kingdom and in Germany in 1013 and in 1921, together with the quantities of coal, of coke, and of manufactured fuel, imported and exported in each of those years.

The figures do not relate to the same areas for the two years in the case of Germany. The output in 1913 included 16,740,000 tons of coal produced in Alsace-Lorraine and in the Saar coalfield, the output of neither of which areas was included in the figures of production in 1921. In the case of Germany, the figures of exports include German coal supplied for bunkering purposes to foreign vessels in German ports, the amount of which in 1913 was 327,000 tons. The corresponding figure for 1921 is not available. No particulars are available regarding the quantity of bunker coal supplied to German vessels. The quantity of bunker fuel supplied to foreign-going vessels at United Kingdom ports was 21,031,000 tons in 1913 and 11,047,000 tons in 1921. After allowing for the approximate quantities of coal required for the production of the coke and briquettes exported, imported, and used for bunker fuel, so far as this is shown above, the quantities available for all other purposes were as follow:

— 1913. 1921.
Tons. Tons.
United Kingdom 189,125,000 130,286,000
Germany.
Coal 153,000,000 109,000,000
Lignite 92,000,000 123,000,000

These quantities include the fuel used in the operation of the mines and allowance coal supplied to mine-workers.