Captain A. Evansasked the Secretary for Mines whether his attention has been 589W called to the fact that, during the first eight months of this year, German coal exports have increased by 7,803,709 metric tons, equivalent to 43.67 per cent. over the corresponding period of 1936, whilst British shipments, on the other hand, rose by only 3,836,134 tons or 17.13 per cent. within the same period; and whether, in view of the fact that this increase of German exports is mainly due to the subsidising of their exports, he will endeavour to arrange an early conference of British and German experts to see whether arrangements can be made to end this subsidising of exports which is proving so expensive to Germany and so damaging to the coal trade as a whole?
§ Captain CrookshankThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. With regard to the second part, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 2nd November.