§ Mr. WARDLAW-MILNEasked the President of the Board of Trade what were the quantities and values of the imports of carpets into this country for the past five years; from what countries these imports were received; and how the wages in the carpet trade in these countries compared with those ruling in the United Kingdom?
2337W
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERThe following table shows, in respect of (1) carpets, carpeting and rugs of wool, and (2) jute carpets and rugs, the quantities
Year. Total Imports. Retained Imports. Quantity. Declared Value. Quantity. Declared Value. Carpets, Carpeting and Rugs of Wool (including Carpets and Rugs on a Wool or Jute basis). Thous. Sq. yds. £'000. Thous. Sq. yds. £'000. 1924 … … … … 4,406 2,624 3,543 1,254 1925 … … … … 4,529 2,637 3,743 1,323 1926 … … … … 4,467 2,516 3,705 1,394 1927 … … … … 6,574 3,472 5,503 1,804 1928* … … … … 6,809 4,151 5,784 2,361 Jute Carpets and Rugs. Thous. Sq. yds. £'000. Thous. Sq. yds. £'000. 1924 … … … … 1,774 285 1,747 280 1925 … … … … 2,007 287 1,964 280 1926 … … … … 1,749 262 1,715 256 1927 … … … … 3,419 323 3,389 318 1928* … … … … 2,321 257 2,288 251 * Figures for 1928 are provisional. Among the principal countries from which these carpets, etc., were consigned, are the following:
Carpets, carpeting and rugs of wool: British India, Belgium, France, Turkey, Persia, Russia, Czechoslovakia, Germany and Iraq.
Jute carpets and rugs: Germany and Czechoslovakia.
As regards the last part of the question, the available information is being collected, and I will forward it to my hon. Friend as soon as it is ready.