HC Deb 06 December 1920 vol 135 cc1750-3W
Sir H. NIELD

asked the President of the Board of Trade what have been the imports of sports goods, toys and games, reading lamps, and tinware during the months of August, September, and October last, and what have been their respective values and countries of origin; how it is that the published Board of Trade Returns for those months show no record of any importations of either toys or games, and that the columns of such Returns under the headings Sports Goods, Toys and Games, the spaces are blank for the months named; and if he will call for an explanation, so that business and commercial circles may not have reason to question the accuracy of these official Returns?

Sir P. LLOYD-GREAME

The following tables show the values, and in certain cases the quantities, of the imports into the United Kingdom of sports goods, toys and games, lamps, and hollow-ware of tinned plate, registered in the months of August, September, and October, 1920. The countries from which the goods were consigned are shown in the tables, the countries of origin not being required to be stated by importers. "Reading lamps" and "tin ware" are not separately distinguished in the returns, and accordingly it is only possible to give figures for the classes "lamps and lanterns" and "hollow-ware of tinned plate," respectively.

As regards the second and third parts of the question, my hon. Friend appears to be under a misapprehension.

The published trade and navigation accounts for August, September, and October of the current year show, on page 121, the values of sports goods and of toys and games (not of rubber or leather, not electrical) registered as imported during the month. Rubber balls and leather sports goods are included under the headings "Rubber and Leather Manufactures."

IMPORTS INTO THE UNITED KINGDOM or THE UNDER-MENTIONED ARTICLES, CONSIGNED FROM THE COUNTRIES NAMED, IN AUGUST, SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER, 1920.
(a)Sports Goods, and Toys and Games. (By value.)
Sports Goods. Toys and Games.
August,1920. September,1920 October,1920. August,1920. September,1920. October,1920.
£ £ £ £ £ £
Sweden 201 145 160
Norway 3 1,527 11 471 11
Denmark 30 66 62 31 4
Germany 271 195 1,333 72,575 106,977 159,475
Netherlands 7 86 5,752 7,571 4,348
Belgium 543 3,601 56 1,385 2,552 1,981
France 1,348 4,270 718 44,822 35,232 37,329
Switzerland 65 6 910 350 740
Spain 175 25 191 67
Italy 138 200 101 438 145 85
Austria-Hungary 1,662 2,354 4,436
China 111
Japan 1,175 926 4,273 38,607 55,852 62,848
United States of America 2,476 7,633 9,390 8,328 9,874 24,511
British India 552 539 27
Hong Kong 8
New South Wales 144
Canada 934 655 892 180 926 181
Newfoundland 7 26
Total 7,865 17,574 19,174 174,871 222,617 296,211

(b) Lamps and Lanterns (except electric); by quantity and value.
Countries whence consigned. August, 1920. September, 1920. October, 1920.
Quantity Value. Quantity. Value. Quantity. Value.
No. £ No. £ No. £
Sweden 10 6
Norway 60 144 470 350 184 821
Germany 17,159 2,496 3,129 1,200 16,005 3,838
Netherlands 201 54 1,536 52 9,089 843
Belgium 114 227 169 179 150 110
France 49 94 1,303 264 2,584 462
Switzerland 1,341 302 72 337
Italy 6 12
Austria-Hungary 1,640 384 800 261
Japan 590 150
United States of America 1,966 563 28,897 13,036 1,038 801
Hong-Kong 14 10
Canada 6,696 1,447 144 40
Total 29,226 5,711 36,540 15,741 29,650 7,031

Articles under these various headings are not entered in the Official Statistics by quantities, as there are no common units of quantity which could properly be applied to the different articles grouped under each heading.

(c) Iron and Steel and Manufactures thereofHollow-ware (household, kitchen, &c. utensils)Of tinned plate; by quantity (in certain cases) and value.
Countries where consigned. August, 1920. September, 1920. October, 1920.
Quantity. Value. Quantity. Value. Quantity. Value.
Tons. £ Tons. £ Tons. £
Sweden 1 121
Norway 11 700
Denmark 50
Germany 4 660 1 190 2 767
Netherlands 75
Belgium 1 54 5 373 1 114
France 31 140 1 310
United States of America 327 48,056 60 6,249 4 644
Victoria 10 1,170
Total 332 48,801 77 7,652 19 3,251