§ 6. Captain TERRELLasked the President of the Board of Trade if he can give any estimate of the loss to the country caused by the railway strike in regard to trade stoppages and hindrances to export, as well as to the losses in wages to the men concerned?
Mr. WEBBI am afraid that the statistical information available does not enable me to form even an approximate estimate of the loss caused to the nation by interruptions of the system of transport, from whatever cause.
§ Captain TERRELLWill the right hon. Gentleman consider the advisability of, in future, publishing in detail the total loss to the country caused by any one strike?
Mr. WEBBI am afraid the hon. and gallant Gentleman did not quite appreciate the answer I have just given. So far as I know, it is hot within the power of any economist or statistician to give even an approximate answer to an inquiry of that sort.
§ Captain TERRELLDoes the right hon. Gentleman appreciate the fact that he has had three weeks to prepare his answer?
§ Mr. PRINGLEHas any previous President of the Board of Trade ever made a similar estimate?