§ Mr. PENNYasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is now in a position to state the actual quantity of rubber held in the East on the 31st October last against unused export. rights; whether the amount of rubber Colncides with the unused coupons issued; and, if not, what action will be taken in regard to the excess of unused coupons against which no actual rubber was stored at the end of October?
§ Mr. AMERYThe figures available show that a proportion of the unused permits outstanding on 31st October in Ceylon and Malaya was held without an equivalent amount of rubber. After giving full consideration to the issues involved and with the concurrence of the Governments concerned, I have come to the conclusion that no interference with the validity of such permits would be justified. On the 31st of October there were outstanding unused permits in Ceylon to an amount representing approximately 15,000 tons of which 7,000 tons were held with rubber. In the Malayan restriction area permits outstanding were of an amount representing 24,839 tons, of which dealers held 6,315 tons with full equivalent of rubber, and producers in the Federated Malay States with properties of over 100 acres held 6,507 tons with 4,129 tons of rubber. Similar information in regard to the smaller producers in the Federated Malay States, and producers generally in the rest of the Malayan restriction area is not available.