§ 1. Mr. William Shepherdasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the figures of trade between the British and Russian zones of Germany in the year 1946–47.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Mayhew)Between 1st September, 1946, and 31st December, 1946, the value of deliveries from the British zone to the Soviet zone totalled approximately 46 million Reichsmarks, against deliveries from the Soviet zone to the British zone amounting to approximately 28½ million Reichsmarks. On 1st January, 1947, the British and United States zones were combined, and deliveries from the combined zone to the Soviet zone between that date and 31st August, 1947, came to approximately 59 million Reichsmarks. During that period the Soviet zone delivered goods to the approximate value of 75 million Reichsmarks to the combined zone.
§ Mr. ShepherdIs the Under-Secretary able to give any comparison between the present volume of trade and the trade normally obtaining in peacetime?
§ Mr. MayhewNo, Sir, I cannot do that; indeed, I should be very doubtful whether that calculation could be made, bearing in mind the entirely new and artificial nature of the frontiers.