§ Major GLYNasked the President of the Board of Trade what is the annual value of British manufactured goods sold in Spain for the years 1913, 1919, and 1925, and the most recent figures available; whether the commercial treaty with Spain has increased the business done between the two countries; and, if not, what are the obstacles to increasing the trade balance?
§ Mr. W. GRAHAMThe following table shows the total declared value of the exports from the United Kingdom of goods of United Kingdom manufacture classed in the trade returns as wholly or mainly manufactured, consigned to Spain during the years 1913, 1919, 1925 and 1928.
1216W
Year. Declared Value. £ 1913 … … … 5,359,0100 1919 … … … 7,828,000 1925 … … … 7,343,000 1928 … … … 7,116,000 The above figures for 1913 and 1919 relate to the trade of the British Isles as a whole, and those for 1925 and 1928 relate to the trade of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Under our Commercial Treaty with Spain, as modified by the Supplementary Convention of 1927, we enjoy most-favoured-nation treatment for our goods. Without such a safeguard the volume of trade might well be substantially reduced. No doubt the main obstacle to its development lies in the high Customs Tariff in force.