66. Mr. Philips Priceasked the President of the Board of Trade to what he attributes the recent fall in British exports to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
§ Mr. H. StraussI asume that the hon. Member has in mind the fall in United Kingdom exports to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in 1951 as compared with exports in 1950. The marked decline in exports of electrical generating sets accounts for the greater part of the fall and reflects the cessation of Russian orders. The concentration of Russian buying on the engineering industry, together with the effect of the controls which it has been necessary to impose on strategic grounds, have also contributed to the fall.