HC Deb 08 July 1931 vol 254 c2091W
Major GLYN

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many tons of oil are now annually exported from Russian territory; and how much Russian tanker tonnage is there available for the carriage of this oil, and to what extent is British tanker tonnage employed in this trade?

Mr. W. R. SMITH

According to the official trade returns of the Soviet Union, the total quantity of crude and refined petroleum exported from that country was 3,797,262 tons in 1929 and 4,637,980 tons in 1930. As recorded in the annual report of the Chamber of Shipping of the United Kingdom, the number of vessels belonging to the Soviet Union, fitted for carrying petroleum in bulk was, in June, 1930, 13 of a gross tonnage of 59,532. I have no information regarding the extent to which British tanker ton-age is employed in the carriage of oil from Russia.