§ 27. Sir Percy Harrisasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can state for the last available date, the annual total exports of cotton apparel from this country; total imports under the same heading into this country; and value of such imports from Japan?
§ Mr. StanleyI regret that it is not possible to furnish the precise information desired, as the official trade returns only distinguish certain descriptions of apparel made of cotton; but I will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a statement showing the particulars available for the year 1938.
§ Following is the statement:
§ Mr. StanleyIf the occasion arises, the considerations referred to by my hon. Friend will be kept in mind.
§ 23 and 24. Sir Douglas Thomsonasked the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether the Imperial Shipping Committee is considering the present services to and from the West Indies and this country; whether their attention has been drawn to the new British competition with the existing British lines; and whether they have made any report;
(2) whether his attention has been drawn to the intrusion of the Blue Star Line into the West Indies trade with serious results for the existing lines; whether he is aware that this line serves the trade only in one direction and that the existing lines cannot maintain their full services in face of this competition and are withdrawing the only British 2139 passenger service that has for long competed with foreign passenger services; can he say in what country these Blue Star Line vessels were built; and whether he will investigate if this recent development is in the interests of British shipping as a whole?
§ Mr. StanleyI am aware of the developments in the West Indies trade referred to. According to the advertisements in the Press, the new outward cargo service from the United Kingdom by Blue Star Line is carried on by nine vessels, five of which were built in the United Kingdom. The Imperial Shipping Committee is at present engaged upon an inquiry into West Indian shipping facilities, and I am informed that their attention has been drawn to the new service and that they are considering its effects. I am not in a position to comment on the matter in advance of their report, which I understand may be expected in the autumn.
§ Sir D. ThomsonIs my right hon. Friend aware that the existing passenger service is being withdrawn in the next month, and may be withdrawn before the report is published?
§ Mr. StanleyWhen a matter of this kind is under consideration by a committee of this importance, it cannot be dealt with before the report is issued.
§ Mr. Kirk woodDoes not this give the lie to the statement that competition is essential?
§ Sir I. AlberyIs it not a fact that the principal competition in the West Indies service is by larger and faster foreign vessels?
§ Mr. StanleyThat is another point which the committee is considering.