§ Mr. Parkerasked the President of the Board of Trade whether the pre-war practice of supplying private firms or individuals with foreign trade statistics more detailed than those contained in the published returns, against payment of a fee, has been maintained during the war; and whether it is possible to obtain by such means the figures concerning the quantities of imports and exports or their countries of origin and destination?
Major Lloyd GeorgeThe practice of supplying bill of entry returns to private firms and individuals concerning commodities in which they are interested has not been discontinued, but the supply of information relating to periods since the outbreak of war is restricted with a view to preventing disclosure of any information likely to be of value to the enemy.