Sir N. STEWART SANDEMANasked the President of the Board of Trade what the figures of the trade balance between this country and Japan were last year?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANDuring the year 1932, imports into the United Kingdom consigned from Japan exceeded exports from the United Kingdom consigned to Japan by £855,000.
Sir N. STEWART SANDEMANasked the President of the Board of Trade what is the total value of Japanese goods imported into this country, and also into the Empire, during the first nine months of this year?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANThe aggregate value of merchandise imported into the United Kingdom and registered during the first nine months of 1933 as consigned from Japan amounted to £4,903,326. Particulars of the total value of imports from Japan into the Empire as a whole are not available in respect of broken periods of a year.
§ Sir A. BAILLIEasked the President. of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that Japanese woollen jumpers are being landed in this country at a price which is less than half the cost of woollen jumpers of similar quality manufactured over here; and what steps he proposes to take to remedy this?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANMy attention has been drawn to the importation from Japan of articles of the kind mentioned in tins question. The Government are keeping fully in view the problems raised by Japanese competition in the industries affected by it; and in this connection I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement I made in the Debate on the Motion for the Adjournment last Thursday.