§ 54. Mr. SCURRasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the fact that the exports to Russia from the United States of America for the year 1925 exceeded 32 those from Great Britain to the same country, and are increasing; and whether, seeing that American banking and financial houses give more favourable credit facilities to Russia than are given in this country, His Majesty's Government intends to extend credit facilities to Russian trade?
Mr. SAMUELThe hon. Gentleman is under a misapprehension. The official trade statistics issued by the United States Government show that goods to the value of 69 million dollars, or a little over £14 millions, were exported to the Soviet Union for the whole year, 1925, while the official "Trade and Navigation Accounts" of the United Kingdom show that exports to Russia from the United Kingdom amounted to something over £19 millions during the same period. The. United States exports, therefore, did not exceed those from the United Kingdom to the Soviet Union. During the first three months of the calendar year 1926 exports Irma the United States of America to the Soviet Union showed a progressive decrease.
As regards the second part of the question, I am not aware that American houses are giving longer credit than British houses.