I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the lack of public official information concerning the trade done by each of the British Colonies and Dependencies with foreign countries, and the importance of such information to manufacturers and merchants in the United Kingdom, he can arrange for the periodical issue of Trade Reports giving information about Colonial trade, similar to the information now furnished with regard to foreign trade in the Consular Reports published by the Foreign Office.

I would call the attention of my hon. friend to the series of Colonial Reports, of which about forty five are issued each year. A list of recent Reports is printed at the end of the latest issued, that for Sierra Leone, 1906 (Cd. 3285). This series does not at present include Colonies possessing responsible government, but no doubt the matter will receive consideration in connection with the appointment of commercial agents in the principal Colonies.