§ Mr. CLOUGHasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the Board of Trade figures gave the stock of all growths of tea in bonded warehouses of the United Kingdom on 31st October as 224,818,000 lbs.; whether the most careful trade inquiries show that this stock was 191,250,000 lbs.; and if he can explain how the Board of Trade figures were made up, and will inquire whether they were considerably overstated?
§ Sir P. LLOYD-GREAMEThe stock of tea in bonded warehouses, or entered to be warehoused, on 31st October, 1920, was 224,814,000 lbs. The stock published in the Accounts of Trade as remaining in bonded warehouses, or entered to be warehoused, on the last day of a month is made up by adding to the stock shown as remaining in bond at the end of the previous month the quantities declared by importers on entries for warehousing received in the Statistical Office, Customs and Excise, during the month, and deducting there from all deliveries from warehouse notified to that Office during the same period. I am not aware of any reason to doubt the general accuracy of the official figures, but if my hon. Friend would care to send me information as to how the trade figures were arrived at, I shall be happy to look into the matter further.