§ 2. Mrs. COPELANDasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that, in the year ended 31st May, 1932, 2,091,898 tons of coal were exported from Britain to Canada, and 30,701,802 bushels of wheat were imported from Canada to Britain, mostly in foreign ships; and if he will consider, in the interests of economy, arranging a barter agreement on the lines of the one concluded recently between Brazil and the United States of America, so that our boats that take the coal to Canada would bring back the wheat to England?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. Hore-Belisha)I understand that in the period in question 1,033,454 tons of coal were exported from the United Kingdom to Canada and 30,701,802 cwts. of imported wheat were registered as consigned from Canada. I have no information as to the flag of the ships in which either the coal or the wheat was carried. I do not think an agreement such as that suggested in the second part of the question would be practicable.
§ Mrs. COPELANDIs the hon. Member aware that, according to the Turgeon re- 1088 port on the Canadian grain trade, 66 per cent. of the Canadian wheat shipped last year from the Atlantic seaboard was exported from United States ports in foreign ships?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAI have no reason to dispute that statement or to confirm it.