§ Mr. HIGHAMasked the President of the Board of Trade what weight and what value of salicylates were imported into the United Kingdom in each of the years 1911, 1912, 1913, 1914, and 1915, and, out of the total, what weight and value came from Germany in each year; and will he, if possible, give the details-, separately, for each salicylate, namely, salicylic acid, sodium salicylate, and acetyl salicylate?
Mr. RUNCIMANSalicylates are not separately recorded in the import statistics, but are entered under the head of
Chemicals and drugs unenumerated.The actual declarations of importers in 1913 have been carefully examined and indicate the following imports in that year:—
Total Imports. Imports from Germany. £ £ Salicylic acid … 10,703 … 10,375 Sodium salicylate … 16,147 … 15,264 Acetyl salicylate … 3,518 … 3,376 Aspirin … 20,096 … 19,974 Quantities cannot be given except in the case of sodium salicylate, of which 2,385 cwts. were declared, including 2,305 cwts. from Germany.
No corresponding analysis of imports has been carried out for the other years specified, nor would the great labour involved in such an analysis be, in my opinion, justified.