§ Sir W. PRESTONasked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department, on the occasions during the last 12 months when the Export Credits Department have been called upon to pay under their guarantee, how many occasions have been cases in which the contract has been made direct by the manufacturer with the customer; and how many have been cases in which the contract has been made, not by a manufacturer but by a middleman with the customer?
§ Mr. GILLETTIt is impossible to answer the hon. Member's question categorically without inquiring into the precise nature of the business of a large number of exporters. I may say, however, that in the great majority of the cases to which the hon. Member refers the contracts have been made between manufacturers and their customers overseas.