§ Mr. LORDENasked the Secretary to the Department of Overseas Trade the amount of credits that have been taken up under the Overseas Trade (Credit and Insurance) Act during the last two months, and for what countries; and what has been the cost of administering the scheme under the following headings: staff, rentals, overhead charges, and commissions, if any has been paid?
§ Mr. KELLAWAYThe amount of credits taken up during the last two months to date under the Overseas Trade (Credits and Insurance) Act is £55,164 1s. 1d. in respect of Finland, Roumania, Poland, Czecho-Slovakia, and Jugoslavia. As to the cost of staff, it would be misleading to give figures for so short a period as two months, but the annual estimate for the staff of this Department is at the moment approximately £2,930. The staff consists of a manager, a secretary (on loan from the Department of Overseas Trade), a contracts officer, a chief correspondence clerk, and a small subordinate staff. The amount of commission payable by the Department during the last two months was £27 11s. 4d.; on the other hand, the Department earned in commissions on advances £3,522 1s. 11d. These latter commissions are charged in order to form a fund for defraying the expenses of the Department and for meeting any losses.