§ 2. Mr. James Griffithsasked the Secretary for Mines whether he can make any statement as to the prospects of the Welsh anthracite trade with the Dominion of Canada during this summer; and whether advantage will be taken of the Imperial Conference to secure assurances from the Dominion Government for the safeguarding of this trade which provides employment for large numbers of anthracite miners in Wales?
§ Captain CrookshankThis matter was discussed last year with the Canadian Government, and I made a very full statement on it in reply to a question on 12th November last by my hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff, East (Mr. Temple Morris). I have nothing to add to that statement, but I would remind the hon. Member that the AngloCanadian Trade Agreement of 23rd February, 1937, maintains the tariff preference for United Kingdom anthracite imported into Canada at the level established by the original Ottawa Agreement.
§ Mr. GriffithsIs the Minister not aware that these exports have shown a very severe decline in the last few years; and will he not take steps to see that the figure at which they stood two or three years ago is restored?
§ Captain CrookshankAn agreement was made, as the result of a great many discussions, and the hon. Member is no doubt aware of its terms.
§ Mr. GriffithsAre we to understand, then, that the Government are incapable of safeguarding the export trade of this country with the Dominions?
§ Mr. ShinwellIs not the decline in exports largely attributable to the high prices which are being charged?
§ 3. Mr. J. Griffithsasked the Secretary for Mines whether his attention has been called to the fact that German coals, heavily subsidised, are continuing to replace Welsh coals in certain European markets; and what steps he proposes to take to deal with this continuing loss of markets for Welsh coals which is due to subsidised competition?
§ Captain CrookshankIt is impossible with the statistical information available to say to what extent one country's coal replaces another's in a particular market in any given period. With regard to the last part of the question, I should like to point out that the latest: figures available, namely, those for the first quarter of this year, show that exports from South Wales totalled 442,000 tons more than in the same quarter of last year and have increased in nearly every European market.
§ Mr. GriffithsDoes the Minister not think that there is at present a very favourable opportunity of renewed negotiations with the object of securing a new European agreement to share this trade, in time, before the next slump comes?