§ Mr. W. R. Duckworthasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will state the value of fish imported into the United Kingdom from Russia in 1937 and 1938, respectively; what was the value of British fish exported to Russia in each of the two years in question; and whether, in view of the state of the British herring industry, he will use his best efforts to secure that Russia, especially in any new trade agreement, agrees to take a greater proportion of our salted herring?
§ Mr. CrossDuring the years 1937 and 1938, the value of fish of all kinds imported into the United Kingdom and con signed from the Soviet Union amounted to£1,313,000 and £1,442,000, respectively, while exports of fish from the United Kingdom to the Soviet Union were valued at £7,000 and £28,000 respectively. It should be noted that a large proportion of the imports of fish consigned from the Soviet Union consists of salmon from Japanese canneries situated in Soviet territory.
As regards the last part of the question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on the 28th February to questions on the subject of the herring trade.