§ Mr. B. SMITHasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that under Article 25 of the Russian-Italian Treaty of Commerce and Navigation, approved by the Italian Government on 4th June, 1925, vessels of the contracting countries shall be permitted, in the course of their voyage and for a period of two years, to engage in the maritime transport of goods and passengers 1747W between the following ports: Trieste, Genoa, Naples, Leghorn and Catania on the one side, and Odessa, Novorossik, Poti, Batum and Rostov on the other; and what steps does he propose to take to obtain similar facilities for British shipping?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, British vessels have no rights under the Trade Agreement of March, 1921, to participate in the coasting trade of Russia, but under an exchange of Notes dated September, 1904, British vessels are entitled to participate in the Italian coasting trade.