HC Deb 06 May 1924 vol 173 cc246-7W
Major EDMONDSON

asked the President of the Board of Trade the value of our exports to Russia during the year 1913, and what proportion the amount bears to our total exports for that year; and the value of the Russian imports into this country for the same year, and what proportion the amount bears to Russia's total exports for that year?

Mr. WEBB

The total exports from the United Kingdom, including foreign and British oversea merchandise re-exported, which were consigned in 1913 to the then Russian Empire were valued at £27,694,000 or 4.4 per cent. of the exports of British produce and manufactures to all destinations in that year. The official records of Russia and Finland for the year 1923 show that goods to the value of £32,607,000 were exported to the United Kingdom in that year, or 19.6 per cent. of the exports from Russia (including Finland) to all destinations. I may add that the British records show an importation of goods of a value of £40,271,000 from the Russian Empire into United Kingdom for the year in question. The discrepancy between the figures is probably in part due to differences in methods of valuation, in part to the inclusion of freight in the British values, and in part to change of ownership and destination after goods had left Russia.