§ Sir K. WOODasked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether he has any information concerning the recent purchase by a British company from Arcos, Limited, of a quantity of timber from Soviet Russia for delivery in this country in 1930 and 1931; and the price paid for this timber?
§ Mr. W. R. SMITHCertain information was recently published in the Press concerning an agreement between the Central Softwood Buying Corporation of the United Kingdom and the Central Soviet Timber Export Organisation for the purchase of Soviet timber for the 1931 season. I regret that I have no further information beyond the fact that this agreement was signed on 20th November.
§ Sir N. GRATTAN-DOYLEasked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether he is yet in a position to inform the House what are the exceptional cases in which British firms may by special permission sell direst to wholesalers and retailers in the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics'?
§ Mr. GILLETTpursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 24th November, 1930, col. 866; Vol 245] supplied the following statement:
The exceptions to the general monopoly of foreign trade to which I referred in my answer to the hon. Member on 17th November were not intended to re- 1118W late necessarily to British as opposed to other non-Soviet goods. I am not in possession of exhaustive particulars, but such exceptions have hitherto usually taken the form of concessions:—
(1) To foreign (i.e., non-Soviet) firms to manufacture within the U.S.S.R. under licence from the Chief Concessions Committee, certain articles for resale to wholesale State and co-operative organisations. Examples of the type are:
Allmänna Svenska Elektnska Aktiebolaget (A.S.E.A.) (Swedish) for the manufacture of electric heating appliances.
Skefko Ball Bearing Co. ("SKF"). (Swedish), manufacture of ball-bearings.
Gas Accumulator (Swedish) for the manufacture of lamps and heating apparatus.
Stock & Co. (German) for the manufacture of fancy goods.
Raabe (German) manufacture of wooden nails and buttons.
Berger & Wirt (German) manufacture of printers' ink.
(2) To mining companies permitting the import of certain articles for sale to their employés. Examples of (2) are:
Tetiuhe Mining Corporation (British) for mining lead and zinc in Eastern Siberia.
An Italo-Belgian company for producing oil in the Shirak Steppe; and
Certain minor Japanese coal and oil concessions on the island of Sakhalin.
(3) To foreign firms to form in conjunction with a Soviet Government Department a "Mixed Company" for the purpose of carrying on import and export operations on Soviet territory. Examples of this are:
Russo-Austrian Trading Company (Russaystorg).
Russo-Polish Company (Sovpoltorg).
Russo-Persian Company (Shark).
It is believed that the number of this type of trading organisation is decreasing.
Mention should be made of the fact that it is possible for foreign exhibitors at exhibitions of productive goods held in the Soviet Union to dispose of their exhibits on the spot after the exhibition 1119W concerned is over. As an example of this may be mentioned the permanent machinery exhibition held in Moscow by "Technoproinimport." The Department has been informed that on the average 90 per cent, of the goods exhibited at this exhibition have been sold.