§ 17. Mr. GLOSSOPasked the President of the Board of Trade the quantity of mustard seed imported into this country for each of the three years for which the latest figures are available?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI regret that the desired information is not available, as particulars of the imports of mustard seed are not separately recorded in the trade returns of this country.
§ Mr. GLOSSOPWill the right hon. Gentleman consider the question of obtaining those reports, in view of the fact that the acreage under mustard seed in this country has declined in the last 10 years from 51,000 to 20,000 acres?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI have looked into the question, and find that it would entail a great deal of trouble on the Department, and I hope ray hon. Friend will not press for that information.
§ Mr. GLOSSOPIs it not a fact that mustard is a very important crop in this country and ought not some steps to be taken to regulate the imports of mustard which must be coming in, in view of the smaller acreage in this country?
§ 20. Major CARVERasked the President of the Board of Trade the present wholesale price of Chinese eggs imported into this country; the total estimated daily consumption; and the main types of food for which these eggs are used?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANNo recent quotation for Chinese eggs is available; the latest quotation for Chinese eggs in shell, as recorded in the "Grocer," was for 18th February, when the price ranged from 8s. 9d. to 13s. per 120. The estimated daily consumption, based on the quantities of retained imports in the year 1932, is 275,000 eggs in shell and 2,000 cwts. of eggs not in shell. It is understood that the greater part of these eggs is used in the baking and confectionery trades.
§ Mr. PIKEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that recently the price of Chinese eggs in shell has been reduced by £30 per ton wholesale price, and that this reduction prevents British manufacturers competing against China even on the British market?
§ 21. Mr. LEWISasked the President of the Board of Trade whether imports of flour made from soft wheat in France are showing a tendency to increase; and how the price at which this flour is offered in England compares with the corresponding price for flour made from English wheat?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANImports of flour from France, which I understand consist 1566 principally of flour made from soft wheat, have shown signs of increasing in recent months. According to "The London Corn Circular," the prices on 27th March, 1933, of flour made from French and English wheats were as follows:
§ French: ex granary, 15s. 6d. per sack of 280 lbs.
§ English: country millers' straight-run made entirely from English wheat—ex mill, from 17s. to 18s. per sack of 280 lbs. according to grade.
§ The 10 per cent. ad valorem duty is included in the quotation for French flour. Each quotation is exclusive of the quota payment of 2s. 9d. per sack.
§ Major CARVERCan my right hon. Friend say whether the export of this wheat from France is facilitated by any subsidy, direct or indirect, from the French Government?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANAs far as we know, it is not facilitated in that way.
§ 28. Colonel GRETTONasked the President of the Board of Trade the quantity of barley imported from Soviet Russia during the months of January and February this year; the average price per hundredweight; and the average price of British barley in each of these two months?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANImports of barley (grain) into this country consigned from the Soviet Union during the months of January and February, 1933, amounted to 82,320 cwts. and 374,492 cwts., respectively. It is understood that practically all these imports represent feeding, i.e., non-malting, barley. The average price of Russian barley, ex store, at London, was 6s. per cwt. in January and February. The average London quotation of British feeding barley, free on rail at farmers' nearest railway station, was 5s, 4d. per cwt. and 5s. 3d. per cwt., in January and February respectively.
§ Mr. PIKEIn view of the discrepancy between the two prices, will the Minister advise the brewers of Great Britain to buy British barley whenever possible?