asked the President of the Board of Trade the value of industrial and manufactured goods exported from this country to Russia, Poland and Czechoslovakia during the first quarter of this year; and the value of raw material exported during the same period to these countries from the sterling area.

Export statistics are not yet available for the March quarter, but in January and February, 1949, the value of the United Kingdom exports of "articles wholly or mainly manufactured" to the Soviet Union, Poland and Czechoslovakia amounted to £1,704,000, £674,000 and £866,000, respectively. As regards the second part of the Question, I regret that I am unable to supply the information desired as statistics received from Commonwealth and foreign countries are not sufficiently detailed or up to date.

Will the President of the Board of Trade bear in mind the importance of developing exports to Eastern Europe of manufactured goods rather than of raw materials for stocking-up purposes?

Is the hon. Gentleman able to say whether the imports we received from those countries were greater or less than the amount of our exports to them?

I could not say without notice, but I should be happy to give the hon. Member that information.