§ Commander BELLAIRSasked the President of the Beard of Trade, seeing that the Committee on Commercial and Industrial Policy after the War (1918) reported that in 1913 only 12 per cent. of our imports were wholly or mainly manu- 50W factured and 52 per cent. represented raw materials and articles mainly unmanufactured, whether he will give the comparative percentages for the latest convenient period of 12 months?
§ Mr. W. R. SMITHThe figures quoted by the hon. and gallant Member represent the imports into the United Kingdom during 1913 consigned from British countries (together with Egypt). The distribution of our imports from all countries during 1913 and 1928, between merchandise classed in the trade returns as "Raw materials and articles mainly unmanufactured" and as "Articles wholly or mainly manufactured," was as follows: In 1913—Raw materials, etc., constituted 35 per cent., and Articles wholly or mainly manufactured 26 per cent. of the total imports of all descriptions of merchandise. In 1928—Raw materials, etc., constituted 28 per cent. of the total and Articles wholly or mainly manufactured 261 per cent.; or excluding imports consigned from the Irish Free State—Raw materials, etc., 29 per cent., and Articles wholly or mainly manufactured, 27½ per cent.