Mr. Gresham Cookeasked the President of the Board of Trade what has been the balance of trade between Great Britain and Holland for each of the past three years; and whether he will give an estimate as to how such balance would be affected if the present quota imposed on Dutch bulbs into this country were abolished.
§ Sir D. EcclesUnited Kingdom imports from the Netherlands (c.i.f.) exceeded exports and re-exports (f.o.b.) by £19 million in 1955 and by about £10 million in both 1956 and 1957. I cannot estimate the effect on the total of imports if quota restrictions on Dutch bulbs were abolished.