§ 52. Mr. D. GRENFELLasked the Secretary for Mines the figures of the average monthly imports of coal from the Bristol Channel ports and the United Kingdom, respectively, into the Irish 1271 Free State for the six months January to July, 1932, and the six months July to December, 1932, with the average c.i.f. prices in both cases?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of TRADE (Dr. Burgin)I have been asked to reply. I regret that the Trade Accounts of the Irish Free State do not disclose such information, but the average monthly quantity of coal exported to the Irish Free State from Great Britain and Northern Ireland during the first six months of 1932 was 191,176 tons, and during the second six months, 130,458 tons. Of these quantities, 38,592 tons and 28,783 tons respectively, were exported from the Bristol Channel ports. Average c.i.f. figures are not available, but the average declared value, f.o.b., of all coal exported to the Irish Free State, was 18s. 9d. per ton and 17s. 11d. per ton during the two periods respectively. Similar values of exports from the Bristol Channel ports are not readily available.
§ 53. Mr. GRENFELLasked the Secretary for Mines whether he has any information as to the tonnage of foreign coal imported into Ireland in the nine months July, 1932, to March, 1933, and the corresponding figures for the corresponding period a year earlier; and the c.i.f. price of coals from Germany, Poland and Belgium?
§ Dr. BURGINI have been asked to reply. Official statistics are not available, but, so far as I can ascertain, imports of foreign coal into the Irish Free State in the nine months July, 1932, to March, 1933, amounted to approximately 600,000 statute tons, and no foreign coal was imported in the corresponding period a year earlier. With regard to prices, typical examples of quotations c.i.f. Dublin within the last few days are as follow:
| Per statute ton. | ||
| s. | d. | |
| Polish Upper Silesian Large Steam Coal | 19 | 0 |
| German Westphalian Gas Flame Large | 19 | 9 |
| Westphalian Unscreened Gas | 18 | 3 |
§ No information is available in regard to Belgian coals.
1272§ Mr. GRENFELLDoes the hon. Gentleman agree that the figures reveal a loss of employment to 4,000 or 5,000 men engaged in the mining industry of this country, and a transference of that employment to Germany and Poland?
§ Dr. BURGINPerhaps the hon. Member will allow the Secretary for Mines to deal with that point himself.
§ Mr. GRENFELLMay I be allowed to ask the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade whether this silly family squabble cannot be brought to an end?
§ Mr. RONALD ROSSMay I ask whether the hon. Member's policy in connection with coal and Ireland is always one of surrender?