§ Mr. GIBSONasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that since it was announced that Russia had agreed to take steps to rectify the great differences between exports and re-exports from this country to Russia the position has become aggravated; what steps does he propose to take in the matter; and was it agreed when the 421W Anglo-Russian agreement was made that re-exports would bulk so large in the total exports from this country?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI am aware of the recent increase in re-exports to Russia and the consequently increased disproportion between United Kingdom re-exports and exports to that country, and I can assure my hon. Friend that the question of correcting this unsatisfactory tendency is under review. As regards the last part of the question, the Temporary Commercial Agreement with the Soviet Government provided that payments of the U.S.S.R. in the United Kingdom should bear certain proportions to the proceeds of the U.S.S.R. in the United Kingdom and that in determining these proportions re-exports should be taken into account.