HC Deb 26 April 1938 vol 335 cc2-3
5. Mr. Ellis Smith

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many Opel motor cars were imported into this country during the years 1935 and 1937, respectively, and during the first three months in the years 1936, 1937, and 1938, respectively?

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade (Captain Euan Wallace)

This information is not available from the trade returns of the United Kingdom, which do not distinguish the individual make of motor cars imported.

Mr. Smith

In view of this increase in the importation of these cars, will the right hon. and gallant Gentleman take steps to get this information?

Captain Wallace

That, I am afraid, is a very much wider question.

6. Mr. Smith

asked the President of the Board of Trade the total number of motor cars imported into Britain during the years 1934, 1935, and 1937, respectively?

Captain Wallace

During the years 1934, 1935 and 1937, the total numbers of new private motor cars imported into the United Kingdom were 10,177, 12,331 and 18,005, respectively, while the numbers of new commercial vehicles were 65, 64 and 615, respectively.

Mr. Smith

In view of the fact that many of these cars are being made under slave conditions, and that a particular country is adopting the policy of subsidising its export trade, will the right hon. and gallant Gentleman take steps to deal with this menace to British trade?

Table showing the number and declared value of the imports into the United Kingdom of motor cars (private and commercial) consigned from Germany during each of the years 1934, 1935 and 1937.
Description. Quantity. Declared Value.
1934. 1935. 1937. 1934. 1935. 1937.
Number. Number. Number. £ £ £
Motor cars, etc.—Private cars (including cabs),new 28 264 5,174 6,513 79,855 408,168
Commercial vehicles(including motor omnibuses, motor fire engines and motor ambulances, but not including tractors), new. 18 5 131 5,677 1,609 8,308
NOTE.—The 1937 figures are provisional.