§ 68. Brig.-General Sir HENRY CROFTasked the President of the Board of Trade what was the value of imports of wholly or mainly manufactured goods into Great Britain and Northern Ireland during the 12 months completed at the end of April; and whether he is in a position to say approximately how many workers would have received employment had these goods been manufactured in this country?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERThe declared value of the total imports of articles wholly or mainly manufactured, into Great Britain and Northern Ireland during the 12 months ended 30th April, 1925, amounted to £320,423,000. Re-exports during the same period of articles wholly or mainly manufactured were valued at £34,359,000. I do not think it would be possible to make any reliable estimate in reply to the latter part of the question.
§ Sir H. CROFTCannot it be taken as a fact that approximately the wages on manufactured goods amount to 50 per cent of the total value, and, if this is so, does it not mean that in these days we are importing sufficient manufactured goods into this country to give employment to 1,000,000 men at £3 a week throughout the year?