§ Mr. LANSBURYasked the President of the Board of Trade whether any firms or companies in Great Britain engaged in the manufacture of aeroplanes for use in warfare hold licences for the export of these machines; and, if so, can he inform the House what quantity, if any, were exported, and the ports of destination, during the years 1924, 1925 and 1926, respectively?
§ Sir B. CHADWICKNo licence is required to export aeroplanes from the United Kingdom. If, however,, the aeroplanes are fitted with any armament such as machine guns or machine gun mountings, a licence would be required before that armament could be exported. As regards the second part of the question, aeroplanes for use in warfare are not distinguished in the trade returns, but a statement covering the exports of all aeroplanes and parts thereof from the United Kingdom in 1924 and in 1925, and showing the principal countries to which those exports were consigned, is given on pages 425–6 of Volume III of the Annual Statement of the Trade of the United Kingdom for 1925. Similar particulars for the year 1926 have not yet been published.