– in the House of Commons am ar 6 Medi 1939.
asked the President of the Board of Trade whether encouragement can be given to merchants and manufacturers to maintain the export trade, especially to the Dominions, so as to enable us to pay for our necessary imports; and whether it has been made clear in so far as it does not interfere with essential war industries that goods should be produced for export as far as it is practicable?
I am glad of this opportunity to emphasise the vital importance which His Majesty's Government attach to the maintenance of the export trade at the present time and the high priority which should be given to exports among the various demands on the country's economic resources. For their part, the Government will use every effort to ensure that this country's exporting capacity is used to the best advantage, consistently with the satisfaction of essential home requirements and overriding war needs. They trust that manufacturers and exporters in this country will, in the national interest, take the fullest advantage of all opportunities for export.