§ 13. Mr. Osborneasked the President of the Board of Trade what percentage of the 1938 production was exported; 1084 and by how much must our total production in volume be increased to maintain exports at 150 per cent. of the 1938 volume, as mentioned in paragraph 194 of Command Paper 7572.
§ Mr. H. WilsonIn 1938 exports represented about 15 per cent. of the total production of goods. The programme outlined in the recent White Paper on European Co-operation (Cmd. 7572) looks forward to an expansion of about one-third above pre-war in the output of manufacturing, mining, agriculture, building and public utilities to support a level of exports 50 per cent. above the 1938 volume.
§ Mr. OsborneIs the right hon. Gentleman satisfied in his own mind that production will be sufficient to meet this 150 per cent. volume of exports without starving the home market?
§ Mr. WilsonThe hon. Member is aware that production has been increasing at quite a remarkable rate during the past year. If he wants to go into it more fully I suggest that he should wait for the Debate which is to take place very shortly.