§ 18. Mr. Sorensenasked the President of the Board of Trade to what extent British manufacturers of umbrellas have been able to compete with imported umbrellas from Asia during the past three years; and in what areas overseas are British exporters of umbrellas maintaining or extending their trade.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithImports of umbrellas and sunshades, which come mostly from Hong Kong, have fallen from 42,000 dozen in 1954 to 25,000 dozen in 1956. Exports to Malaya and Fiji have increased in the last three years but exports to other markets have fallen.
§ Mr. SorensenArc we entitled to deduce from that Answer that the reduced importation of sunshades and umbrellas from Hong Kong has led to an increase in the production of these articles in this country?
§ Mr. Walker-SmithApart from the Census of Production statistics, we do not collect production statistics for the umbrella industry; but my information from the industry is that business is at present good.