§ 8. Mr. WHITEasked the President of the Board of Trade how British exports to Russia and British imports from Russia during the first five months of the current year compare with the corresponding exports and imports of the years 1929 and 1930; and if, where possible, he will give detailed figures in respect of the more important categories of goods?
§ Mr. W. GRAHAMAs the answer is long and involves a number of figures, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the answer:
§ The declared value of merchandise imported into and exported from the United Kingdom in trade with the Soviet Union registered during the first five months of 1929 and 1930 was as follows:
| —— | January to May. | |
| 1929. | 1930. | |
| £ | £ | |
| Total Imports consigned from the Soviet Union. | 7,075,807 | 8,006,336 |
| Exports consigned to the Soviet Union—Produce and Manufactures of the United Kingdom. | 1,481,043 | 1,938,712 |
| Imported merchandise | 893,542 | 1,187,032 |
§ I am not yet in a position to state the figures for the corresponding period of this year, but I will send them to the hon. Member as soon as they are available.
§ Details of the trade during these periods are not readily available, but the hon. Member will find the particulars in respect of some of the more important items in the issue of the
§ As stated in the issue of the "Accounts relating to Trade and Navigation of the United Kingdom" for May, 1931, the declared value of the imports into and exports from the United Kingdom of (a) stockings and hose of artificial silk, or of which the chief value is artificial silk, and (b) all other descriptions of artificial silk manufactures, excluding yarn, apparel and embroidery, registered during the five months ended 31st May, 1929, 1930 and 1931, was as follows:—
| —— | Stockings and hose of artificial silk, or of which the chief value is artificial silk. | All other descriptions of artificial silk manufactures, excluding yarn, apparel and embroidery. | |||
| Total Imports: | £ | £ | |||
| January to May. | |||||
| 1929 | … | … | … | 305,879 | 3,225,822 |
| 1930 | … | … | … | 578,391 | 2,998,613 |
| 1931 | … | … | … | 639,750 | 3,263,274 |
| Exports of domestic manufacture: | |||||
| January to May. | |||||
| 1929 | … | … | … | 270,553 | 2,774,290 |
| 1930 | … | … | … | 224,196 | 2,281,475 |
| 1931 | … | … | … | 138,017 | 1,224,335 |
| Exports of imported merchandise: | |||||
| January to May. | |||||
| 1929 | … | … | … | 15,999 | 233,127 |
| 1930 | … | … | … | 27,414 | 402,337 |
| 1931 | … | … | … | 26,227 | 220,726 |
§ "Accounts relating to Trade and Navigation of the United Kingdom" for May, 1931.
§ Detailed particulars of the trade of the United Kingdom with the Soviet Union during the year 1929 are contained on pages 124 to 129 of Volume IV of the "Annual Statement of the Trade of the United Kingdom with Foreign Countries and British Countries—1929." Statements showing the principal commodities imported and exported in the trade with the Soviet Union during the year 1930 were furnished in answer to questions by the noble Member for East Norfolk on the 3rd March, and the hon. and gallant Member for Wycombe on the 7th May, copies of which I am sending to the hon. Member.