§ Mr. HAMMERSLEYasked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department what was the amount of long-term credit insurance for orders from Russia authorised by the late Labour Government; whether this authorisation has now been exhausted; and, if not, what amount of long-term credit insurance for Russian orders is now available?
§ Major COLVILLEI must explain that guarantees under the Export Credits Guarantee Scheme, whether in connection with exports to Russia or to other countries, have always been given on the recommendation of the statutory Advisory Committee, who take into consideration the merits of each application made to them and determine the conditions as to length of credit, amount, etc. As regards Russia the Committee in July last approved arrangements for certain credits up to 30 months maximum. This programme, amounting to £6,000,000 has now been exhausted, and the Committee are at present prepared to consider applications involving not more than 12 months' credit.
Duchess of ATHOLLasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that consignments of confectionery and stearine candles valued, respectively, at 3d. per lb. and 5½d. per lb., have recently been imported from Soviet Russia; and will he say in what quantities?
953W
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI have no information as to the value of particular consignments, but the imports of chocolate confectionery into the United Kingdom registered during the months of December, 1931, and January, 1932, as consigned from the Soviet Union amounted to 770 cwts., of an average declared value of £1 98. 10d. per cwt. (3.2d. per lb.) the corresponding figures for sugar confectionery being 1,352 cwts. and £3 16s. 1d. (8.2d. per lb.) respectively. The imports of candles during the period amounted to 210 cwts., of an average declared value of £1 10s. 10d. per cwt. (3.3d. per lb.), but I am unable to state what proportion of these imports comprised stearine candles, as these are not separately recorded in the trade returns of the United Kingdom.