§ 12. Mr. MITCHESONasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can give the House any information as to the proportion of the goods imported into this country which are carried in British and in foreign ships, respectively?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANStatistics of the kind desired are not normally available, but at the request of the Board of Trade, a special investigation was made by the Board of Customs for the month of February last. The total declared value of merchandise imported from British countries in that month was £22,420,000, of which 95 per cent. was imported in British ships and 5 per cent. in foreign ships. Of the goods imported from foreign countries, valued at £35,788,000, the proportion in British ships was 54 per cent., in ships belonging to the country of consignment of the goods 27 per cent., and in other foreign ships 10 per cent. These figures show that in February 13½ per cent. of our imports, measured by value, was carried in vessels not under the British flag or under the flag of the country from which the goods were consigned.
§ Mr. H. WILLIAMSCan my right hon. Friend say how that compares with the tonnage of British ships engaged in foreign trade?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANNo, I could not say that without further investigation.