§ Mr. W. R. Duckworthasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies in how many cases the complete trade statistics for 1938 show that the import of British cotton textiles into any British colony or mandated territory has declined in that period; and whether in each such case he will make special investigation to ascertain, and if possible remove, the cause or causes?
Mr. M. MacDonaldI am afraid it is a good deal too early in the year for complete trade statistics of imports of cotton textiles into the colonial dependencies to be available for 1938. Such figures as are available indicate that there has been a decline. Commodity prices were high in the first part of 1937 and imports increased in response. In the latter part of 1937 commodity prices dropped, and the consequent decline of purchasing power in the dependencies concerned, together with an excess of imports during the preceding period, inevitably had an adverse effect on imports in 1938. In these circumstances I do not feel that a special investigation would serve any useful purpose.