§ Mr. BAKERasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, seeing that the Government is represented on the board of directors of the Anglo-Persian Oil Company by two directors, who have the power to negative any proposal of their fellow directors, he will instruct the nominated directors to safeguard the oil consumers in this country?
§ Mr. SNOWDENThe Government is pledged not to interfere in the commercial affairs of the company. It would not therefore be open to me to give instructions
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Imports into the United Kingdom of Quantity. Value. Total Imports. Of which consigned from Germany. Total Imports. Of which consigned from Germany. Cwts. Cwts. £ £ Intermediate Coal Tar Products used in the manufacture of Dyes (including Aniline Oil and Salt, and Phenyl-Glycine). 1921 4,465 1,721 54,732 20,662 1922 41 10 917 184 1923 1,349 267 17,010 4,494 Finished Dye-stuffs obtained from Coal Tar. 1921 59,699 40,727 1,539,474 776,982 1922 57,591 39,960 1,326,174 505,252 1923 56,157 41,651 1,003,725 528,719 Extracts for Dyeing 1921 97,068 218 521,116 2,833 1922 147,860 258 548,931 1,803 1923 121,299 301 380,327 2,076 Indigo, natural 1921 293 — 13,734 — 1922 1,305 — 45,041 — 1923 757 — 26,915 — Raw dyeing substances, other than Dyewoods. 1921 6,428 — 13,542 — 1922 10,450 — 12,008 — 1923 16,480 — 27,261 — to the Government directors which might be interpreted in a manner inconsistent with that pledge.