58. Duchess of ATHOLLasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has any information as to the system by which exports of wheat and oatmeal are encouraged in Germany; whether it involves any assistance from the Government; and if he can state the price at which these commodities are being sold in Germany?
§ Lieut.-Colonel COLVILLEUnder the German "export bond" system, exporters of wheat, milled wheat products, and certain milled oat products obtain documents entitling them to import corresponding quantities of wheat and oats duty free or on payment of very low duties. The system naturally implies Government co-operation. A recent quotation for wheat in Hamburg was 11.75 R.M. per cwt. for Canadian wheat (No. 1 Northern Manitoba) and 10.80 R.M. per cwt. for German wheat. I regret that I have no information as to the price of oatmeal in Germany.
Duchess of ATHOLLMay I take it that oatmeal is among the oat products to which my hon. and gallant Friend referred in his reply?
§ Lieut.-Colonel COLVILLEI shall require notice of that question.
§ Lieut.-Colonel COLVILLEIf my Noble Friend will put the point down, I shall be glad to get the information.
§ Mr. MORGAN JONESIs the co-operation to which the hon. and gallant Gentleman refers of a monetary kind; if so, will the same action be taken with regard to Germany as has been taken with regard to Russia?
§ Lieut.-Colonel COLVILLEWhat takes place is, in fact, the encouragement of exports only in so far as imports of the same products take the place of the exports, since the export permit has no value except to secure the duty-free entry of the product in respect of which the permit is issued.