BRITISH EXPORTS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21582, 8 December 1944, Page 5

BRITISH EXPORTS

POST-WAR POLICY IMMEDIATE” PLANNING MINISTERS’~ASSURANCES (9 a.m.) LONDON, Dec. 7. British export trade was debated in the House of Commons when Mr. G. S. Summers. Conservative, moved an amendment to the Address-in-Replv, regretting that the King’s speech contained no proposals for the reorganisation of the Board of Trade and no mention of other steps necessary for the expansion of our export trade or dealing effectively with the change-over of industry to peace production. He complained that the Board of Trade was not competent to discharge satisfactorily the twin functions of increasing Britain's export trade and making an orderly transition from war to . peace production. What was needed was a Ministry of Industry and Commerce, with directives modelled on the supply departments, and properly staffed with experienced persons. Mr. Oliver Simmons, Conservative, said that in the matter of export trade, we were neglecting a vital ssue in the national policy. Before balancing our national accounts, we should have to improve our annual income from overseas by some £200,000,000 annually. That amount would be necessary to maintain the standard of living- to which the people of Britain had been accustomed, and was the very foundation of British social experiments. This figure was almost exactly half the average pre.var exports from Britain every year. The. Minister of Production, Mr.’ Oliver Lyttelton, denied that the export trade was being withered bj “inefliciency and the cold hand o' rigidity.” He said that export trade had not withered but had been cm town as an act of policy to make its contribution towards winning the war. Regarding the re-conversion 'rom war to peace in industry he said hat obviously the first step was to release, as far as war conditions per mitted, designers, craftsmen, and technicians with the object of starting on the production of prototypes and samples. Priorities in Industrial Releases The Minister added that he wan'first to release the plant and manpower which would make the great est contribution to our export trade, to the x-e-equipment of industry, to the housing of the population, and tc raising civilian standards of life; but, he added, there was an important psychological aspect. Britain was novv the world’s greatest debtor nation, whereas it had always been a creditor, and the creditor-mentality was deeply ingrained in the country. It had to be changed to meet the changed circumstances, and bring the realisation that Britain could not afford to buy anything abroad which she could produce economically at home. Mr. E. Shinwell, Labour, said that to rebuild and re-invigorate the export trade, mote was required from the Govex'nment than a re-conversion plan. They required to form a policy, and the first step should be to promote international trading agreements. He stressed that unless the American market was accessible to exports from Britain there was no hope of repairing the ravages of the war. He suggested that the vast territories of colonies, with a population of 60,000,000 people ( represented almost illimitable opportunities for expansion. New Openings in Foreign Service The President ‘'of the Boai'd oi Trade, Mr. Hugh Dalton, replying t' the debate, said that he was exploring the possibilities of securing men who had been working with a supply department to assist in the work of the Boai'd of Trade. It was sometimes stated that we were not well represented by our commercial secretaries and Ministers abroad. Sometimes that was unjust. In future thei-e would be an opportunity for the recruitment of good men into this service, partly because it would be merged into the wide new Foreign Service, and partly because at the conclusion of the war it would be necessary to have a substantial new intake. Speaking of exports, Mr. Dalton said that, although these had been greatly reduced, they were still very far from negligible. Last year our exports amounted to £243,000,000, which was rather less than half the 1938 figure. Mr Dalton emphasised that the reduction in our exports during the war had not come about by accident. It was a deliberate decision of war policy. Equally deliberate must be our decision io increase these exports again as opportunity serves, and there were now signs of an upward trend. The immediate prospects were very good, he added. Whatever goods we could pi-oduce for export would find a good sellers’ market. There would be a wide choice before industrialists as to where they would sell their produce. The world was going hungry for our products, and he had no doubt that this would continue for several yeai's to come.

Mr. Dalton said there was no doubt that owing to the effect of lend-lease aid from the United States, which had b « c i uite indispensable to our war efioit, wo had suffered in some reipects m our export trade, though we had gained immeasurably in other directions. Our export trade had gone through very difficult times. It could not make a sudden overnight recovery, and in particular war prior.y rnust continue to be the overriding consideration. Subject to that, he promised that the Government and his department would do their oest to lay foundations now for the greatly increased export trade on ■vlnch must depend the prosperity of our country.