§ Sir R. Rankinasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware
710W
Event held at Postal business transacted at the Pavilion Telegrams dealt with at the Value of stamps sold. Number of parcels accepted. Number of packets registered. Number of Postal Order transactions. Pavilion. Head Office. Ordinary. Press number of pages Ordinary. Press number of pages. Forward. Received. Forward. Received. £ s. d. Neath, 1934 14 17 2½ 8 7 21 209 — 809 371 156 561 Caernarvon, 1935 2 17 7 3 1 4 271 — 1,213 397 214 855 Fishguard,1936 12 12 7½ 11 7 — 359 — 1,595 327 252 435 Machynlleth, 1937. 11 5 11 7 5 3 380 — 919 514 261 1,153 Cardiff, 1938 29 11 10 1 8 — 407 — 649 192 140 658 The telephone business transacted for the 1938 Eisteddfod amounted to £24 13s. 10d. Figures of telephone business for the years 1934–37 are not available. that, according to recent returns of the tonnage of vessels being built abroad at the present time, nearly 29 per cent. is intended for registration elsewhere than in the country of construction, as against 16 per cent. in the case of vessels being built in Great Britain and Ireland; and whether he has under consideration any scheme for attracting a greater proportion of shipbuilding to this country?
§ Mr. StanleyThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. In regard to the second part, the position of the shipbuilding industry generally is engaging my attention. I would remind my hon. Friend that the facilities provided by the Export Credits Guarantee Department are available in respect of orders for ships placed in this country by overseas buyers.