asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware of the hardship inflicted upon the British shipping industry, in which there is considerable unemployment, by the restriction enforced by the Italian Government that the 1,000,000 tons of coal to be exported from this country to Italy must be carried in Italian vessels; and, having regard to the fact that vessels of all nationalities, including Italian, are free to bring to this country commodities of every kind without any restrictions, will he make such representations as may be necessary to the Italian Government, to alleviate the position?

I have been asked to answer this question. I am not aware that the Italian Government have enforced any such restriction as that mentioned by the hon. Member, but under the agreement made at The Hague the arrangements for shipping the coal bought in this country for the Italian State Railways were left to the Italian Government.

Surely the hon. Member, as representing the Government, must know that none of this coal—

The hon. Member is not asking a question.

Is the hon. Member aware that there is a great amount of unemployment and hardship in the shipping industry, and that none of this tonnage of coal has yet been carried in British bottoms?

Possibly that may be true, having regard to the fact that the carrying of the coal was left to the Italian Government.

Will the hon. Member make representations to his right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who agreed to this arrangement, to see whether it cannot be altered?

I am afraid that it may be difficult, having regard to the fact that the Italian Government have shipping of their own, to ask them, to allow their ships to stand idle while other ships are being used.

Is it or is it not a fact that one of the main conditions made by the Italian Government was that this coal should be shipped in Italian bottoms?

I have already answered. The arrangements for carrying the coal were left with the Italian Government.

Why is it that in all these cases there is absolute neglect of British interests?

asked the Prime Minister whether he will consider the appointment of a committee of business men and trade union leaders to consider the whole question of tariffs and imperial trade?

The reply is in the negative.

Have the Government any policy at all in regard to Imperial trade?

The Prime Minister's answer to the question was quite definite and needs no supplementary.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether, in view of its possible effect upon our export trade to foreign countries of £400,000,000 a year, the Government will reconsider its declared policy that, provided the price and the quality of the article are satisfactory, all purchases should be made within the Empire and none from foreign countries?

The conditions mentioned by the hon. Member in his question limit the extent to which articles can be purchased from Empire sources, and therefore no further declaration of policy seems necessary.

Has the hon. Gentleman considered the disastrous effect that would be produced upon our export trade if all foreign countries were to adopt the same narrow-minded and short-sighted policy?