§ Mr. J. BROWNasked the President of the Board of Trade whether use has been made of the Government's export credit scheme, announced by the Board of Trade on 5th September, 1919; whether the scheme is still in force; if so, to what countries it relates; what is the extent of the Treasury liability in respect of the scheme; and whether any loss has been sustained up to the present?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANThe answer to the first and second parts of the question is in the affirmative. The countries to which the scheme applies are as follow:
- Finland,
- The Baltic Provinces (Latvia, Esthonia, and Lithuania),
- Poland,
- Roumania,
- Czechoslovakia,
- Jugo-Slavia,
- The areas in Russia to which the scheme for insurance against abnormal commercial risks applies.
Sanction has so far been given to applications for advances for £299,578, of which the amount actually taken 1s £13,334, and the amount which has lapsed, and in respect of which there is therefore no longer any liability, is £168,901. In addition to this, provisional sanction has been given to applications for £1,333,000, but it is not yet known whether the applicants have secured the necessary contracts. No losses have been incurred up to the present time.