§ Mr. RAMSBOTHAMasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will supply complete average figures of production, prices, imports and exports for the years 1926, 1927, 1928, and for the second quarter of 1929, respectively, of gas mantles?
§ Mr. W. R. SMITHComplete data regarding the production of gas mantles in this country during the periods specified are not available. Particulars of the output of the members of the Manufacturers' Association, representing, it is claimed, about 95 per cent. of the output of the whole industry, have been furnished periodically to my Department, and show the following totals for the periods specified:
— Quarterly Average. Second Quarter. Gross of Mantles. Gross of Mantles. 1925 … … 74,195 62,407 1927 … … 84,862 79,141 1928 … … 85,044 71,580 1929 … … 89,816 73,304 Comparable information for the year 1926 is not available. The particulars furnished by the Association indicate that prices were generally increased in 1926 as compared with 1925, were reduced in 1927 and again in 1928, and have since been raised to a level higher than that of 1925 for most of the descriptions of mantles for which information has been supplied. With regard to imports and exports, I would refer the hon. Member to the figures given in the OFFICIAL REPORT for 27th February, 1929 (columns 1995 and 2007), and to the reply given en 4th February last to the hon. Member for East Willesden (Mr. D. G. Somerville).