§ 68. Major-General Sir FREDERICK SYKESasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department what action is being taken about insurance against bad debts in export trade; whether he proposes to appoint a Committee to examine the question; and, if so, can he state the names of the Members of the Committee?
§ Mr. A. M. SAMUEL (Secretary, Overseas Trade Department)The Department of Overseas Trade has for some time past been studying the question of insurance against bad debts in export trade. The time has now arrived when an expert Committee should be constituted to examine the question in close detail. I am glad to announce that I have formed a Committee, of the following gentlemen, under the chairmanship of Colonel the Hon. Sidney Peel:
Colonel the Hon. Sidney Peel, D.S.O. (Chairman), Chairman of the 1043 National Discount Company, Limited, Chairman of the London Committee of the National Bank of Egypt.
J. Caulcutt, Esquire, General Manager of Barclays Bank.
Sir William H. Clark, K.C.S.I., C.M.G., Comptroller-General of the Department of Overseas Trade.
A. C. Gladstone, Esquire, Director of the Bank of England, etc., etc.
The Hon. Sir William Goschen, K.B.E., of Messrs Goschens & Cunlifie, Chairman of the Sun Insurance Office.
Joseph Powell, Esquire, General Manager of the Commercial Union Assurance Company.
Eustace R. Pulbrook, Esquire, Deputy-Chairman of Lloyd's.
Gilbert C. Vyle, Esquire, Deputy-President of the Association of British Chambers of Commerce.
Colonel the Hon. F. V. Willey, C.M.G., C.B.E., M.V.O., President of the Federation of British Industries.
§ Mr. LUNNI would like to ask if the hon. Gentleman would consider giving a rather wider range of names than those he has mentioned, and possibly finding some gentleman who is not agreed about the scheme which he has been propounding?
§ Mr. SAMUELI do not think for a moment that those gentlemen are agreed.
| Country whence consigned. | Year 1924. | Jan.-June,1925. | ||||||
| Quantity Imported. | Value. | Quantity Imported. | Value. | |||||
| Lbs. | £ | Lbs. | £ | |||||
| Germany | … | … | … | … | 435,717 | 32,142 | 258,695 | 24,566 |
| Netherlands | … | … | … | … | 782,396 | 106,321 | 706,528 | 75,739 |
| Belgium | … | … | … | … | 5,566,468 | 536,292 | 2,979,406 | 285,015 |
| France | … | … | … | … | 55,674 | 9,192 | 40,651 | 5,961 |
| Czechoslovakia | … | … | … | … | 321,231 | 44,648 | 852,097 | 117,752 |
| British India | … | … | … | … | 709,074 | 54,262 | ||
| Other Countries | … | … | … | … | 122,144 | 19,822 | ||
| Total Imports | … | … | 7,992,704 | 802,679 | 4,837,377 | 509,033 | ||
| Figures distinguishing single and double yarns are not available. |
§ As regards the last part of the question, I am afraid I can only say that the great bulk of these imports consisted
1044§ This work requires skilled technical knowledge, and it is difficult to get men to do that kind of work.
§ Mr. LUNNThis is a serious matter, and I think the hon. Gentleman ought to consider extending his Committee in the way I have suggested.
§ Mr. SAMUELThis is a matter of great importance, and I should be glad if the hon. Gentleman will give me the name of any gentleman whom he thinks is capable of dealing with this highly technical matter.