§ 13. Sir Robert Rankinasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the fact that a large amount of English clay has recently been carried by Dutch coasting-vessels from Poole to the Potteries by way of the Welsh coast and the Mersey; and what steps are being taken by his Department with a view to transferring sea-carriage of this type to British coastal shipping?
§ Mr. RuncimanMy attention has not been called to this matter and from inquiries which have been made by the Board of Trade, it appears that my hon. Friend is under some misapprehension. The records of departures from Poole since the 1st July, 1936, of vessels in the coasting trade with cargoes of clay include only one departure under the Dutch flag, all the remainder being British. In these circumstances the second part of the question does not arise.