§ 1. Lieut.-Colonel Sir J. NORTON-GRIFFITHSasked the President of the Board of Trade whether steps will be taken with his active support and that of his Department to counteract the impression now being made in the Brazilian aniline dye trade by officially supported corporations of German traders; and whether he will consider the desirability of investigating the means by which such steps might conveniently be taken, and of reporting upon the same, for the benefit of British traders to whom the Brazilian dye trade is of so much importance, having regard to its prosperity in 1919 and 1920?
§ Mr. BALDWINI shall be glad to consider any information and suggestions on this matter which my hon. and gallant Friend may care to send to me, and to draw the attention of British dye manufacturers to the importance of the Brazilian market. I would point out, however, that the present depreciated state of the German exchange gives the German manufacturers a very substantial, though it may be only temporary, advantage in respect of export trade.
§ 2. Sir J. NORTON-GRIFFITHSasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is able to give any information as to the prospects of this country's establishing a successful cotton trade with Brazil; whether the Federation of Master Cotton Spinners, who sent a representative to Brazil in 1921 to report upon the possibilities of cotton development in that country, have given any information to the Board of Trade which might be of value to British traders in general; and, if not, whether he will consider the desirability of obtaining information upon this matter, having in view the importance of the cotton trade to this country and the necessity of regaining our pre-War prosperity?
§ Sir P. LLOYD-GREAME (Secretary, Overseas Trade Department)The latest figures available indicate that while the Brazilian cotton crop is increasing, the local consumption is also increasing, and there has been a considerable drop in recent years in the exports of Brazilian cotton in this country, namely, from 30,000 metric tons in 1913 to 9,000 tons in 1920. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative. As regards the last part of the question I shall be glad, subject to considerations of expense, to make investigations on the matter if there is any representative demand for such investigations by the British interests concerned.