§ Mr. MALONEasked the President of the Board of Trade what was the quantity and value of wheat, barley, and oats imported by this country during the nine months ended 30th September, 1930, or 675W up to a later date if possible, from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics; and what proportion, both in quantity and value, do these imports bear to our total imports of the commodities under notice from all countries?
§ Mr. W. GRAHAMThe following table shows (1) the total quantities and de-
Commodity. Consigned from the Soviet Union (Russia).(1) Total Imports.(2) Proportion of (1) to (2). Per cent. Wheat … … Quantity Cwt. 3,471,990 70,920,160 4.90 Declared Value £ 1,373 454 32,180,975 4.27 Barley … … Quantity Cwt. 2,491,841 7,742,785 32.18 Declared Value £ 653,288 2,596,390 25.16 Oats … … Quantity Cwt. 482,435 6,226,446 7.75 Declared Value £ 110,240 1,659,103 6.64
§ Captain BULLOCKasked the President of the Board of Trade if he can give the figures of goods imported from Russia during the first six months of this year?
§ Mr. GRAHAMAs stated in the July issue of the "Accounts relating to Trade and Navigation of the United Kingdom," the declared value of the total imports of merchandise into Great Britain and Northern Ireland registered during the
TOTAL DECLARED VALUE of MERCHANDISE imported into and exported from Great Britain and Northern Ireland registered as consigned from and to the Soviet Union (Russia) during each of the months, July, August and September, 1930. Month. Imports Exports. United Kingdom Produce, and Manufacture. Imported Merchandise. £ £ £ July … … … 3,590,005 781,037 214,512 August … … … 2,601,367 858,171 130,891 September … … … 3,509,492 812,261 36,899
§ Mr. WARDLAW-MILNEasked the President of the Board of Trade what quantities of Russian products, other than foodstuffs, have been imported into this country in the past three months, and to what extent the prices of such goods undercut those of the same goods as normally imported from other countries?
§ Mr. GRAHAMDuring the three months ended 30th September, 1930, the676W clared values of wheat., barley, and oats registered as imported into Great Britain and Northern Ireland during the nine months ended 30th September, 1930, distinguishing the imports consigned from the Soviet Union (Russia), and (2) the proportions which these imports bear to the total.
six months ended 30th June, 1930, as consigned from the Soviet Union (Russia) amounted to £9,939,710.
§ Mr. HACKINGasked the President of the Board of Trade the value of imports and exports between this country and Russia during each of the last three months?
§ Mr. GRAHAMThe information asked for is as follows:
principal commodities (excluding foodstuffs) imported into this country and registered as consigned from the Soviet Union (Russia) consisted of various descriptions of wood and timber, refined petroleum, and skins and furs. Appended is a statement showing the total quantities and declared values of the imports of these goods consigned from the Soviet Union and from all other countries. In this connection, the hon. Member will appreciate that, owing to the varying 677W nature of the commodities included under these headings, the articles consigned from the Soviet Union are not necessarily comparable with those consigned from other countries.
The following table shows the total quantity and declared value of the under-
Description. Total imports consigned from— Soviet Union (Russia). All other countries. Quality. Declared Value. Quantity. Declared Value. Wood and timber:— Loads. £ Loads. £ Hewn, soft … … 106,207 168,404 74,962 315,369 Sawn, soft … … 968,987 4,029,987 1,038,545 4,441,536 Pitprops or pitwood … … 351,444 826,257 675,577 1,256,866 Sleepers of all kinds … … 68,103 285,883 131,707 656,092 Thousand Thousand sq. ft. sq. ft. Plywood … … 33,981 125,436 60,508 444,395 Thousand Thousand Petroleum, refined:— gallons. gallons. Lamp oil … … 21,545 359,206 50,013 926,295 Motor spirit … … 24,026 668,343 216,629 5,804,787 Cwt. Cwt. Skins and furs, unenumerated, dressed (not leather). 1,151 172,242 5,592 646,584 These commodities represent approximately 85 per cent. of the total imports (excluding Foodstuffs) consigned from the Soviet Union (Russia) during the above-mentioned period.
§ Sir K. WOODasked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department if he proposes to arrange for a commission of inquiry to visit Russia and to examine and report upon trade prospects with this country?
§ Mr. GILLETTThe matter is not immediately under consideration, but will be borne in mind.
Sir F. HALLasked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department what is the total amount of the orders for manufactured or other goods placed by the Soviet Government with British firms during the 12 months ended 30th September last; and what is the amount of cash actually paid or deposited against the value of such goods, or guaranteed to be paid at or before the date of delivery?
§ Mr. GILLETTIn regard to the first part of the question, the latest figures678W mentioned commodities imported into Great Britain and Northern Ireland and registered during the three months ended 30th September, 1930, as consigned from the Soviet Union (Russia) and all other countries, respectively.
supplied by the Soviet Government with reference to orders placed in the United Kingdom relate to the period of eight and a half months ending 15th June and. are as follow:
£ Orders for quarters ending December, 1929 4,770,228 March,1930 4,412,169 15th June, 1930 (Estimate) 4,000,000 Total, 1st October to 15th June, £13,000,000. I have no information in regard to the second and third parts of the question.
§ Mr. HACKINGasked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department the terms and conditions upon which Government assistance has been promised to a firm of textile engineers in Oldham in order to enable them to export machinery to Soviet Russia?
679W
§ Mr. GILLETTIt is not the practice to give information regarding individual transactions under the Export Credits Guarantee Scheme, and I am therefore not at liberty to say whether certain statements which have appeared in the Press, and which the right hon. Gentleman no doubt has in mind, are correct or not.