§ Mr. Hoyleasked the Secretary of State for Trade why it is not the practice to publish port details in the publication of import figures for sperm whale oil.
§ Mr. Meacher, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 3rd May 1977; Vol. 931, c. 119], gave the following information:
626WPublication would reveal the commercial transactions of an individual trader, and it has long been normal practice not to disclose such information if the trader so requests. In this case it would reveal the trader's source of supply and unit value.
§ Mr. Hoyleasked the Secretary of State for Trade which sperm oil products are not separately distinguished in the overseas trade statistics.
§ Mr. Meacher, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 3rd May 1977; Vol. 931, c. 119], gave the following information:
My answer of 25th April gave details of those sperm oil products which are separately recorded. If there are any other imports of products or residues of the refinement of sperm oil, these would fall under the broad residual headings in SITC(R) 431.1 (Oils, animal or vegetable, boiled, oxidised, dehydrated, sulphurised, blown or polymerised) or 431.3 (Acid oils, fatty acids and solid residues from the treatment of fatty substances), where they are not separately distinguished.