BRITAIN’S TRADE

Grey River Argus, 1 August 1940, Page 7

BRITAIN’S TRADE

LOSS OF MARKETS France and Italy BRITAIN SEEKING NEW OUTLETS [British Official Wireless] (Received July 31, 5.5 p-m.) RUGBY, July 30. In the House of Commons a questioner asked whether a statement could be made on the reduction or Britain's exports due to her los s or the French and Italian markets. . In reply, Sir A. Duncan (President of the Board of Trade) said that coal was their largest item of export to France, and to Italy. Since the war the volume of British exports to France had increased. “Big changes in the make-up of our trade, owing to France’s war needs, have also taken place,” he said Exports were made more to assist our Allies in the common struggle than for commercial purposes, and the loss or our French market could not be regarded. therefore, as comparable with the loss of a neutral market taking a similar amount of goods. A considerable proportion of the goods we exported to France were, of a kind of greater value to our war effort. Every effort is being made io find other markets for the goods which did not fall into this category.