§ Mr. EDEasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is making any inquiries as to the extent to which shipbuilding in foreign countries is being helped by a system of trade facilities where such facilities are granted?
§ Mr. W. GRAHAMNo special inquiries have recently been made on this subject, but my hon. Friend may care to refer to Annex II of Chapter III of the Survey of Overseas Markets issued in 1925 by the Committee on Industry and Trade. The Annex contains an account of subsidies to shipping and shipbuilding in certain countries. The names of the countries in which State assistance to shipbuilding in some form appears to exist, were given in my reply to my hon. Friend on 10th December.
§ Mr. EDEasked the President of the Board of Trade if he has received any representations from the shipbuilding industry in favour of the institution of a scheme of trade facilities for that industry?
§ Mr. GRAHAMMy hon. Friend has sent me a communication in this sense from one firm of shipbuilders, but I understand that the shipbuilders as a whole do not favour the extension of trade facilities to the industry. I have also received representations in favour of the extension to shipbuilding of trade facilities from certain trade unions concerned.