HC Deb 10 February 1949 vol 461 cc516-7
25. Mr. Symonds

asked the President of the Board of Trade what quantities of spectacle lenses have been exported to the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics since July, 1948.

Mr. H. Wilson

I am unable to give the figure for spectacle lenses only, but the number of lenses for spectacles, goggles, eyeglasses or monocles exported to the U.S.S.R. from July to December, 1948, was 168.

Mr. Symonds

Will my right hon. Friend bring this answer to the notice of the opticians, because some of them are suggesting to their customers that the delay in the supply of glasses here is not so much due to the vastly increased demand as to the fact that we are exporting lenses by the million to the U.S.S.R.?

Mr. Wilson

I hope that the figure of 168 will lay that particular rumour.

Mr. Vernon Bartlett

Can the right hon. Gentleman say what proportion of that export consisted of monocles?

Mr. Wilson

I have made clear that the figure is the total for all kinds of lenses and I cannot split it.