HC Deb 12 May 1924 vol 173 c881
2. Sir FREDRIC WISE

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India the tonnage of iron and steel goods imported into India for the year ending 31st March, 1924, and, of this total, what percentage was British?

Mr. RICHARDS

As the reply is somewhat long, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Sir F. WISE

Will the hon. Gentleman state what percentage was British?

Mr. RICHARDS

From the British Empire, 58 per cent.

Following is the reply:

Figures for the year ending 31st March, 1924, are not yet available. The following figures give the tonnage of imports, private and Government, into India during the year 1922–23 of iron and steel, including all the goods classed as "iron and steel goods" in the trade return except iron ore and pig iron, and including also the following goods classed in the trade return as "railway materials," namely, rails, chairs, fishplates, sleepers and keys of iron or steel, and bridgework:

— Tons. Percentage.
From British Empire (almost exclusively United Kingdom). 549,064 58.3%
From Foreign Countries 392,799 41.7%
Total 941,863 100.00%

These figures do not include particulars of iron and steel goods included in the trade returns under such heads as hardware, cutlery, machinery, locomotive engines and tenders, carriages, wagons, etc. The returns do not separately distinguish iron and steel goods under these heads; the published statistics, moreover, relate only to value of imports, not quantity.