§ 41. Mr. J. J. Astorasked the President of the Board of Trade by what method he assesses imports and exports of thoroughbred horses in and out of Great Britain.
§ Mr. P. ThorneycroftImports and exports of horses are recorded by Customs in the usual way. No assessment of the trade in thoroughbreds is made, as these are not separately distinguished in the Trade Returns, but I understand that they account for most of the value of the imports and exports recorded.
§ Mr. AstorIs my right hon Friend aware that his Department counts as an export all horses that in the breeding season visit France and Ireland for a few weeks, and that when they return with foals they are counted as imports? Is he aware that the figures as to exports and imports which the agencies and the association that actually deal with this have are completely different from those given by his Department?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftThat may be so, but what my Department has to do is to record those horses which leave and those, which enter this country.