§ Sir GEORGE SCOTT ROBERTSONasked the Under-Secretary for India whether he can state the amount by which the exports of India exceeded the imports during the nine months ending the 31st December, 1913, or alternatively and approximately during the current financial year; and if he can say in what proportion the balance of trade in favour of India was paid for by Council Bills, by imports of gold and silver bullion, and by the imports of sovereigns, respectively, and how much of the gold bullion and sovereigns were shipped from Great Britain, and how much from Egypt and Australia?
Mr. ROBERTSThe figures for the nine months ending 31st December, 1913, are as follows:—
£ Excess of Exports over imports of merchandise on private account 27,900,000 Sales of Council Bills £ and telegraphic transfers 21,255,000 Net Imports of gold bullion on private account 6,358,000 Net Imports of silver bullion on private account 2,343,000 Net imports of sovereigns on private account 4,838,000 34,794,000 The greater part of the gold bullion went from Great Britain and of the sovereigns from Egypt and Australia, but the exact distribution is not given in the Returns.