HC Deb 17 October 1950 vol 478 cc224-5W
Mr. Pickthorn

asked the President of the Board of Trade what cargoes of furs and of crabmeat and of what else from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics have been recently shipped to the United States of America by direction or permission of His Majesty's Government; and with what results.

Mr. Bottomley

During the three months ending August last just over £319,000 worth of furs, nearly £173,000 of crabmeat and £3,000 of pig bristles from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics were shipped to the United States of America by direction or permission of His Majesty's Government. Transshipments of other products amounted to just over £37,000 of which bladder casings accounted for £32,000. I am not aware of any unusual results of these normal trading activities except for five shipments of crabmeat in August which had to be returned because of handling difficulties at the United States port of entry.

Brigadier Clarke

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the cost involved in the recent transporting of Russian furs to the United States of America and back to England; and who will pay the loss.

Mr. Bottomley

The shipments in question were effected in the course of normal commercial transactions and I have no information of the cost of transport or of any losses that may have been incurred.