§ 113. Mr. HARDIEasked the Secretary for Mines if he can inform the House what quantities of metallurgical coke have been exported from this country since 1st January, 1923; whether such exports show an increase compared with the previous year; and whether his Department has reason to believe that such increase is due to the occupation of the Ruhr?
§ Viscount WOLMERThe exports of metallurgical coke from this country for the first quarter of this year amounted to 489,237 tons, an average of approximately 37,600 tons per week. The average weekly rate over the whole of last year was 30,800 tons, but for the last quarter of last year it was 39,700 tons. It is therefore evident that the increase in the rate of export had started several months before the occupation of the Ruhr, and has actually been smaller in the first quarter of this year than in the last quarter of last year by over 2,000 tons a week.
§ Mr. HARDIEWill the Mines Department take steps to keep this metallurgical coke in this country?
§ Viscount WOLMERI am afraid that that would be an undue interference with trade.