§ 34. Mr. BOOTHBYasked the President of the Board of Trade what was the total amount of imports from all sources of oats and oatmeal products during the year 1932?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of TRADE (Dr. Burgin)As stated in the issue for December last of the monthly accounts relating to Trade and Navigation of the United Kingdom, the total imports into this country during the year 1932 of oats (grain) and oat products amounted to 6,468,000 cwts., of a declared value of £1,835,000, and 779,000 cwts., valued at £720,000, respectively.
§ Mr. BOOTHBYIn view of the fact that, if given the chance, we could produce practically the whole of these oats and oatmeal products for ourselves, will the Government consider taking steps to regulate the importation of oats and oatmeal products to this country?
§ Dr. BURGINSuch steps will certainly be taken into consideration.
§ 35. Mr. BOOTHBYasked the President of the Board of Trade whether the German Government subsidises directly or indirectly the export of German oats?
§ Dr. BURGINI am not aware of any such subsidy.
§ 36. Mr. BOOTHBYasked the President of the Board of Trade whether there was any disparity between the wholesale price of German oats marketed in Germany and Great Britain during the year 1932; and, if so, what was the extent of that disparity?
§ Dr. BURGINThe average wholesale price of oats at Berlin in 1932, as recorded in "Wirtschaft and Statistik" was 147.5 Reichsmarks per metric ton, equalling at the average rate of exchange for the year 10s. 2d. per cwt. Market quotations for German oats in Great Britain in 1932 are not available. The declared value of the 86,943 cwts. of oats imported into the United Kingdom and registered as consigned from Germany during 1932 was £24,427, or 5s. 7½d. per cwt., but it would appear from the German trade accounts that such oats even though consigned from Germany were not of German origin.
§ Mr. BOOTHBYIn view of the fact that the wholesale price of oats marketed in Germany is from the figures given by the hon. Member nearly double the wholesale price of oats marketed in this market, how can the hon. Member say that there has been no subsidy, either direct or indirect, by the German Government on the export of oats?
§ Dr. BURGINI say so for this reason, that the German export assistance system does not apply to oats, but it applies to oat products and sowing oats, and none of the oats in the answer I have given are sowing oats.
§ Mr. BOOTHBYIn view of the fact that there is this discrepancy, will the hon. Member take steps to prohibit the importation of German oatmeal products under export licence and wholesale oats, provided there is a discrepancy of the amount indicated in his answer?
§ Dr. BURGINI think that question might be put on the Order Paper.