§ 51. Mr. Ridleyasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy, in the future, to give figures of the effect of sales of armaments upon the balance of payments.
§ Mr. DiamondThe value of United Kingdom exports of fire-arms of war and ammunition is shown in Section 9 in the Overseas Trade Accounts of the United Kingdom published monthly by the Board of Trade. Other items which could be used for military purposes, excepting secondhand ships and aircraft, are included indistinguishably in other sections of the Accounts. It would not be possible to publish comprehensive figures of these exports in the balance of payments. 205W Their total value can only be estimated by making assumptions about the use to which many items with both civil and military applications will be put by customers overseas.