§ 10 Mr. HANNONasked the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether he can state the losses which have been sustained by the cotton industry in the reduced export of cotton yarns and manufactures consequent upon the coal strike during the period from 3rd May to 16th July;
1019 (2) whether he can state the estimated loss incurred by the shipping industry, consequent upon the coal stoppage, from 3rd May to 16th July; what number of ships have remained idle in British ports; and what has been the increase in the number of unemployed merchant shipping personnel during the same period;
(3) whether he can state the losses which have been sustained by the iron and steel industries owing to diminished exports consequent upon the coal strike during the period from:3rd May to 16th July?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERI will answer these three questions together; and, as the answer is rather long, my hon. Friend will, perhaps, allow me to circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the answer:
§ As regards the exports of cotton yarns and manufactures, and of iron and steel and manufactures thereof, during May and June last, I would refer my hon. Friend to the official trade returns for those months (pp. 113, 127 and 141-4). The returns for July, as a whole, will be available about the middle of August. Figures for corresponding periods in previous years will he found in each issue of the monthly returns.
§ As regards merchant ships, I have received provisional figures from the Chamber of Shipping, which show that the net tonnage of vessels laid up in the principal British ports at 1st July was 500,000 higher than at 1st April. In 1925 the corresponding figure at 1st July was nearly 400,000 tons higher than at 1st April. With respect to insured persons in the shipping service, my hon. Friend will find the latest published figures in the "Ministry of Labour Gazette" for July, pp. 261 and 263, together with comparative figures for previous periods.