§ Mr. R. T. EVANSasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what interest and conditions of repayment are enforced under the export credits scheme in respect of advances to traders who sell goods, respectively, to the Colonies and Dominions, to Soviet Russia and to other countries?
§ Lieut.-Colonel COLVILLEI have been asked to reply. Under the Overseas Trade Acts, 1920–1934, the Export Credits Guarantee Department is empowered to give financial guarantees in connection with the export of British goods. There is at the prsent time no provision for actual advances to traders, as suggested by my hon. Friend. The charges for such guarantees, as well as the length of credit granted, are fixed by the Department's statutory advisory committee, having due regard to all the factors which affect the credit of the individual buyer. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the most recent booklet issued by the Export Credits Guarantee Department