§ 71. Sir H. BRITTAINasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether he has any 2306 Reports of contracts for coal for export to Russia having been cancelled owing to the coal stoppage; and, if so, what is the amount and value of the coal involved?
§ Mr. A. M SAMUEL (Secretary, Overseas Trade Department)I have no information regarding the cancellation of contracts for the export of coal to Russia, but His Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires in Moscow has reported in a telegram, dated 22nd July, that before the coal strike broke out the Soviet Government were negotiating for the purchase of 1,000,000 tons of British coal Sir Robert Hodgson also refers to a statement in the Russian Press to the effect that 650,000 tons of coal for Leningrad have now been bought in Germany and Poland.
§ Sir H. BRITTAINIs not this an instance of how this stoppage operates to the advantage of our foreign competitors, and will my hon. Friend see that this information is sent to the mining districts?
§ Mr. SAMUELYes, of course, losing this order is a serious—