HC Deb 21 February 1927 vol 202 cc1392-3
42. Brigadier - General CHARTERIS

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the number of pedal bicycles manufactured in Great Britain annually; the number of such bicycles exported, and the number imported from foreign countries?

Mr. A. M. SAMUEL

The answer is a long one, and my hon. and gallant Friend will perhaps agree to its circulation in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Brigadier-General CHARTERIS

Will the hon. Gentleman give some general figures at the present time for the information of the House?

Mr. SAMUEL

As a general Statement, I think I may say that this trade is in an extremely healthy condition. The exports have been going up consistently, and in 1926 they rose to 280,000 pedal machines, and we imported only 1,000. We are now exporting parts to a larger value than the total value of the exports of completed machines.

Colonel DAY

Can the hon. Member say what countries the imported machines came from?

Mr. SPEAKER

That is a question which cannot be answered without notice

Following is the answer promised:

Particulars of the number of pedal bicycles made in this country year by year are not furnished to the Board of Trade. The Census of Production in respect of the year 190; showed that in that year the number of bicycles made in Great Britain and Ireland was 623,800. Only a small number of these were made in Ireland. The number made in Great Britain in 1924, as shown by the provi- sional summaries of Census of Production results for that year, was nearly 700,000.

The number of complete bicycles exported from Great Britain and Ireland in 1907 was 102,400, and the number exported from Great Britain and Northern Ireland in 1924 was 200,781. In 1926 the number was 280,051. The numbers imported in the same years were 600, 1,097 and 1,155 respectively, after deducting re-exports.

In addition to the complete bicycles, the numbers of which I have given, there are produced, exported and imported considerable quantities of parts of bicycles, both replacement parts and parts for assembly into complete machines. I am unable to say what additional numbers of machines should be taken as the equivalent of such parts. In 1926 the value of exports of parts of bicycles other than tyres exceeded that of imports of such parts by an amount greater than the value of the complete bicycles exported.