HC Deb 16 March 1948 vol 448 c222W
75. Mr. W. Fletcher

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the fact that our exports of cotton piece goods to Burma, a country now outside the Empire are so high in comparison to other countries, particularly Canada, he will give an assurance that we are receiving raw materials from Burma of equivalent value.

Mr. Bottomley

There is every prospect that the value of exports of raw materials from Burma to the United Kingdom in 1948 will much exceed that of our estimated exports of cotton piece goods to Burma. I would also remind the hon. Member that Burma remains within the Sterling Group, and that supplies of cotton piece goods have proved a valuable stimulus to the production of rice for export from Burma to other members of the group which would otherwise have to seek dollar supplies.