§ 8. Commander BELLAIRSasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will issue a comparison of the chief articles exported by this country to Russia in 1913, with the amounts we exported in 1930 to Soviet Russia?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERYes, Sir. I will circulate the desired information in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Commander BELLAIRSWith regard to the figures, do they generally show that a system of virtual prohibition is in force against goods that we might desire to sell to Russia?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERThere are two pages of figures, and I do not think I could do the mental arithmetic sum necessary to give the answer.
| The following table shows the total quantity and declared value of merchandise exported from the United Kingdom and consigned to Russia in 1913 and to the Soviet Union in 1930, distinguishing the principal commodities. | |||||
| — | Unit of Quantity. | Quantity. | Declared Value. | ||
| 1913. | 1930. | 1913. | 1930. | ||
| Exports of United Kingdom produce and manufactures. | £ | £ | |||
| Herrings—cured or salted, not canned. | Cwt. | 3,566,155 | 182,295 | 1,988,177 | 121,531 |
| Margarine | Cwt. | 10 | 59,324 | 33 | 194,891 |
| Sugar, refined | Cwt. | 35 | 2,597,011 | 40 | 1,408,826 |
| Coal | Ton | 5,998,434 | 39,428 | 4,336,582 | 29,286 |
| Wool raw—sheeps' and lambs'. | Cental of 100 lbs. | 41,614 | 11,597 | 307,014 | 106,933 |
| Wool noils | Cwt. | 46,624 | 3,049 | 338,405 | 26,302 |
| Woollen rags | Cwt. | 22,518 | 36,963 | 77,224 | 118,952 |
| Ammonium sulphate | Ton | (a) | 68,197 | (a) | 500,623 |
| Cotton yarns | Lb. | 2,447,100 | 189,490 | 261,518 | 50,572 |
| Cotton manufactures (except apparel and embroidery). | Value | — | — | 523,755 | 1,069 |
| Implements, tools, etc. | Value | — | — | 252,789 | (a) |
| Machinery and parts thereof | Ton | 71,203 | 27,779 | 3,926,530 | 2,692,660 |
| Iron and Steel and manufactures thereof. | Ton | 84,373 | 5,972 | 1,017,891 | 374,715 |
| Nickel in pellets, cubes, etc. | Ton | (a) | 640 | (a) | 108,800 |
| Tin Blocks, Ingots, Bars and Slabs. | Ton | 1,415 | 39 | 295,038 | 5,400 |
| Aeroplanes and parts thereof | Value | — | — | 54 | 43,974 |
| Ships and Boats (New) complete. | Gross ton | 24,768 | (a) | 643,466 | (a) |
| Wool tops (other than merino). | Cental of 100 lbs. | 11,763 | 25,716 | 103,903 | 320,867 |
| Woollen and Worsted yarns | Lb. | 2,932,000 | 24,971 | 469,977 | 2,931 |
| Linear yds. | Sq.yds. | ||||
| Woollen and Worsted tissues. | 883,700 | 79,914 | 331,840 | 20,716 | |
| Arms and Ammunition and military and naval stores. | Value | — | — | 40,459 | 41,919 |
| All other articles | Value | — | — | 3,187,988 | 600,979 |
| Total Domestic Exports | Value | — | — | 18,102,683 | 6,771,946 |
| (a) Included in "All other articles." |
§ Mr. R. A. TAYLORWill the right hon. Gentleman bring these figures more up to date, and give the first eight months of this year?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERIf the hon. Gentleman wants these figures, per he will put a question on the Paper.
§ Mr. HAYCOCKDo you think the kind of question that we have been getting will help us to get what we want from Russia?
§ Following is the reply:
1077| — | Unit of Quantity. | Quantity. | Declared Value. | ||
| 1913. | 1930. | 1913. | 1930. | ||
| Exports of Imported Merchandise. | £ | £ | |||
| Tea | Lb. | 10,160,656 | 7,525,019 | 414,766 | 406,556 |
| Cocoa, raw | Cwt. | 16,827 | 3,017 | 59,274 | 5,172 |
| Coffee, not kiln-dried, not roasted or ground. | Cwt. | 15,672 | (a) | 64,139 | (a) |
| Bacon | Cwt. | 17,705 | (a) | 63,034 | (a) |
| Fruit and nuts, raw | Value | — | — | 54,659 | (a) |
| Cotton, raw (except linters) | Cental of 100 lbs. | 1,108,999 | 31,866 | 3,832,221 | 134,331 |
| Hemp, not dressed | Ton | — | 2,180 | (a) | 64,325 |
| Rubber, crude | Cental of 100 lbs. | 142,326 | 170,546 | 2,205,205 | 623,380 |
| Castor seed | Ton | 11,179 | (a) | 134,934 | (a) |
| Nuts and kernels for expressing oil therefrom. | Ton | 11,285 | (a) | 327,663 | (a) |
| Wool, raw—sheeps' and lambs'. | Cental of 100 lbs. | 3,837 | 202 | 33,064 | 1,021 |
| Palm and palm kernel oil, unrefined. | Ton | 2,679 | (a) | 77,045 | (a) |
| Tallow, unrefined | Ton | 20,888 | (a) | 726,409 | (a) |
| Jute, raw | Ton | 3,485 | (a) | 110,620 | (a) |
| Leather, dressed and undressed. | Cwt. | 1,408 | (a) | 39,360 | (a) |
| Copper bars, blocks, slabs, ingots and cakes. | Ton | (a) | 625 | (a) | 34,515 |
| Lead, pig and sheet | Ton | 6,604 | 29,988 | 118,528 | 558,103 |
| Tin, blocks, ingots, bars and slabs | Ton | 338 | 2,637 | 70,620 | 489,501 |
| Zinc, crude | Ton | (a) | 2,970 | (a) | 55,246 |
| Machinery and parts thereof | Ton | 11,298 | (a) | 415,746 | (a) |
| Wood and timber manufactures. | Value | — | — | 237,743 | (a) |
| All other articles | Value | — | — | 606,240 | 147,205 |
| Total Re-exports | Value | — | — | 9,591,270 | 2,519,365 |
| (a) Included in "All other articles." |
§ 7. Commander BELLAIRSasked the President of the Board of Trade what are the general terms of the decree issued in May, 1931, regulating trade of foreigners with Soviet Russia and of Soviet State and co-operative organisations with foreigners; and whether those orders have been in any way altered since then?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERThe decree to which my hon. and gallant Friend no doubt refers is that issued on 11th March, which was supplemented by regulations issued on 23rd April. The decree was substantially a re-enactment of existing legislation and the regulations prescribed the procedure to be followed by foreign firms in applying for permission to carry on trading operations in 1078 Soviet territory, such procedure not differing in any important respect from that hitherto in force. A full summary of Soviet law on the subject, which has not, so far as I am aware, been amended since, will be found in paragraph 17 of the Report on the Organisation of the Foreign Trade of the Soviet Union, by the Commercial Counsellor to His Majesty's Embassy in Moscow, issued in June last (Cmd. 3904), copy of which I am sending to my hon. and gallant Friend.
18. Duchess of ATHOLLasked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department the sums outstanding to date that have been guaranteed to Russia and to all other countries, respectively, under the Export Credits scheme?
Sir HILTON YOUNG (Secretary, Overseas Trade Department)The total amount of credits which the Department had up to the 3rd October contracted to guarantee in respect of exports to Russia and to all other countries was £10,893,106 and £15,787,612, respectively. The total liability assumed under these contracts was £6,906,240 and £10,946,362, respectively.