§ Captain P. MACDONALDasked the President of the Board of Trade the total number and tonnage of vessels built for British owners in German shipyards during the past 12 months under schemes for liquidating German debts to British exporters; and whether he proposes to take any action in this matter, which is an increasing menace to the British shipbuilding industry?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANThere are no official statistics of shipbuilding orders executed abroad for British owners, but, according to the returns of the Registrar-General of Shipping and Seamen, the number of steamers and motor ships of 100 tons gross and over of recent German construction which were registered in the United Kingdom during the past 12 months was 13 of a gross tonnage of 54,097 tons. I am informed that the majority of these ships were ordered with the object of liquidating frozen credit balances in Germany, such balances having arisen in respect of transactions for which exchange is not required to be provided under the Anglo-German Payments Agreement of the 1st November, 1934. As has been previously explained to the House, there is no action which I can take to prevent such orders being placed.