HC Deb 08 March 1932 vol 262 cc1614-5
8. Mr. LAWSON

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is now in a position to state whether the order issued by the German coal commissioner on 27th February particularly restricts imports of English coal to Germany; and if he can now make a statement to the House giving the result of his inquiries an this matter?

Mr. RUNC1MAN

I regret that I am not yet in a position to add anything to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member on the 2nd March. I will, however, advise him as soon as I have received further information so that he can then put down a further question.

Mr. LAWSON

May I thank the right hon. Gentleman for his answer, and ask him if he is aware that this Act is operating very hardly and harshly, particularly on the North-East Coast? Will he, therefore, expedite his inquiries, and will he inquire whether recent legislation has affected the decision on the part of Germany?

Lieut.-Colonel WATTS-MORGAN

Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that South Wales has suffered more severely than any other coal-exporting district?

Mr. RUNCIMAN

I have no doubt that any curtailment of the coal export trade will hit South Wales as well as the North-East Coast, but in this case it is the North-East Coast that is suffering most severely. We are well aware of that fact. I do not connect the recent German action with anything that has been done here. The only reasons given to us in regard to the quota have nothing to do with our own arrangements in this country.

9. Mr. LAWSON

asked the President of the Board of Trade the total tonnage of imported coal which has been prohibited by special orders in importing countries; and whether he can name the countries concerned?

Mr. RUNCIMAN

As the reply involves a number of figures, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mr. HANNON

Will the reply embody a statement of the names of the countries which discriminate against us?

France introduced restrictions on the importation of coal, briquettes and certain classes of coke from all countries on the 1st August, 1931; Belgium on the importation of coal and briquettes on 13th October, 1931; and Germany introduced on 1st October, 1931, the first of a series of reductions in the quota of British coal. The table below shows the difference between the imports during the periods of restrictions and corresponding periods of the previous year.
— Aug. to Dec, 1930. Aug. to Dec, 1931. Decrease in imports (Col. 1 minus Col. 2).
Col. 1. Col. 2. Col. 3.
France: Metric tons. Metric tons. Metric tone.
Total imports of coal (coke and briquettes in terms of coal). 12,824,955 11,067,855 1,757,100
Belgium: Oct. to Dec, 1930. Oct. to Dec, 1931.
Total imports of coal (briquettes in in terms of coal). 2,533,812 2,175,399 358,413
Germany:
Total imports of coal (coke and briquettes in terms of coal). 1,971,081 1,895,526 75,555
It is impossible to say whether the reductions shown above are due solely to the restrictions or whether they are due in part to other causes and if so to what extent.
The 31st December, 1931, is the latest date for which statistics are available in the French, Belgium and German trade accounts. Additional reductions were made by all three countries on 1st February. 1932, while Germany made a further reduction on 1st March and is to make yet another on 1st April.