§ 72. Mr. Turtonasked the President of the Board of Trade what quantity of softwood is being purchased under present contracts from Yugoslavia and Finland; and whether any payment in dollars will be made by Britain to the International Bank in respect of these purchases.
Mr. H. WilsonIt is not normal practice to reveal details of softwood contracts. Payments of 1.7 and 1.4 million dollars will be made by the United Kingdom to the International Bank against deliveries of timber of corresponding value out of the total softwood imports from Yugoslavia and Finland, respectively, during 1949 and 1950.
§ 78. Brigadier Medlicottasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the serious position which is likely to arise in the near future through a shortage in the supply of softwood timber; what quantities of softwood timber he anticipates will be imported from Canada and the United States of America during the next six months; and what contracts have been entered into this year by Timber Control in relation to the importation of softwoods from Sweden, Poland and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
Mr. H. WilsonWith regard to the first part of the Question, I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply I gave on 27th April to the hon. Member for Maidstone (Mr. Bossom). With174W regard to the rest of the Question, it would be contrary to normal practice to indicate during the course of a buying season the amount of softwood we have contracted, or expect, to buy.