§ 48. Colonel Crosthwaite-Eyreasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount of foreign currency accruing to this country in the last financial year through the sale of coal overseas.
§ Sir S. CrippsSales of coal to countries outside the scheduled territories in the last financial year amounted to about £37 million.
§ Colonel Crosthwaite-EyreAs this most welcome addition to our resources has been achieved by selling coal at the maximum price possible, is it to be assumed from the Chancellor's answer that he agrees with that, or does he want the National Coal Board to do the same as private enterprise—cut down profits?
§ Sir S. CrippsThere is nothing to be assumed from my answer except that the figure was £37 million.
§ Colonel HaughtonCan the Chancellor state the tonnage to which that sum relates?
§ Sir S. CrippsI am afraid I could not do that without notice.
§ Mr. W. FletcherCould the right hon. and learned Gentleman say how much of that £37 million was hard currency?
§ Sir S. CrippsI am afraid I could not.
§ Mr. StanleyDoes the right hon. Gentleman think the amount received for that tonnage sold was frightfully high or not?
§ Sir S. CrippsNo, I think it was a very fair price in the export market.
§ Colonel Crosthwaite-EyreAs the price received was the highest possible, does not that mean that the Chancellor thinks it is the duty of exporters to get whatever they can for their exports?
§ Sir S. CrippsI have always stated that it was advantageous to earn as much foreign currency as we could.