HC Deb 22 March 1932 vol 263 cc849-50
19. Duchess of ATHOLL

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state the quantity and value of the following imports into the United Kingdom in 1931: builders' woodwork from the Soviet Union, Sweden, and the United States; liquid glucose from the Soviet Union and the United States; confectionery from the Soviet Union, sheep and lamb skins, woolled, from the Soviet Union, Spain, Chile, Argentine, South Africa, and Australia; maize starch, edible, from the Soviet Union, the United States, and the Netherlands; maize starch, not edible, from the Soviet Union, the United States, the Netherlands and Germany; skins and furs, not enumerated, dressed, not leather, from the Soviet Union, France, Germany, British India, and Canada; canned salmon from the Soviet Union, the United States, Japan, and Canada; matches, safety, containers over 20, from the Soviet Union, Sweden, and Belgium; and glue and size from the Soviet Union, Germany, Belgium, and France?

Mr. RUNCIMAN

I am having a statement prepared which I will forward to the Noble Lady.

Mr. NEIL MACLEAN

May I ask whether the statement will be published in the OFFICIAL REPORT?

Mr. RUNCIMAN

I have not undertaken to have it printed, because it is a large and expensive return.

Mr. MACLEAN

This is a question which is asked for the purpose of receiving an oral reply, and is it not in the interests of the House generally that the information should be available to hon. Members?

Mr. RUNCIMAN

It is an expensive business to print in the OFFICIAL REPORT a large and elaborate statement, and I cannot undertake to put the Department to that expense.

Mr. MACLEAN

Is not the short reply that the information asked for can be obtained in the Board of Trade Statistical Abstract?

Mr. THORNE

Why should a woman have a privilege over men in this House?

Lieut.-Colonel Sir FREDERICK HALL

If the hon. Member for Govan (Mr. Maclean) is so anxious to have this information, cannot a copy be sent to him?