§ 35. Mr. HANNONasked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department if his attention has been called to the falling off in the domestic trade imports of the Nyasaland Protectorate shipped direct from the United Kingdom; if he is aware that in the last 15 years the decrease has been more than 50 per cent. of the total, while foreign imports have increased by nearly 60 per cent.; and if His Majesty's Government propose to take any steps to restore British trade to its former place in that Protectorate?
§ Mr. GILLETT (Secretary, Overseas Trade Department)Exactly comparable figures are not available, but it would appear that while the proportion from foreign countries has increased, imports from the United Kingdom have advanced from £155,000 to £291,000. As regards the last part of his question, I can assure the hon. Member that my Department is using every endeavour it properly can to encourage the export of British goods from this country to Nyasaland and other parts of British East Africa.
§ Mr. HANNONHas the Overseas Trade Department any direct representative at all in that part of our territories?
§ Mr. GILLETTOur representative takes in British East Africa generally, but there is no one actually living in the district referred to by the hon. Member.
§ Mr. HANNONCan the hon. Gentleman say whether the Germans have a representative of their trade in that part?
§ Mr. GILLETTI cannot answer that question without notice. Our representation in that part of the world is going to be reconsidered in a few months' time, I might inform the hon. Member.