HC Deb 17 June 1853 vol 128 cc382-3
MR. APSLEY PELLATT

said, he begged to ask the hon. Gentleman the Secretary to the Treasury whether, on any future occasion, side by side with the foreigners, who could under the new duties introduce soap at the rate of 8d. per cwt., British manufacturers, who exported soap and received the present drawback of 14 guineas a ton, would be allowed to bring it back to this market on the same scale of duties as foreigners paid?

MR. J. WILSON

said, that inasmuch as if this point were not clearly understood it might lead to extensive losses, the House would, perhaps, excuse him if he gave a detailed answer to the question of the hon. Member for Southwark. The hon. Gentleman would be aware that, according to the Resolution of this House, the Excise duty upon soap would expire on the 5th of July next. He would be also aware that, according to the Resolution of this House, the import duty upon soap had been reduced from a corresponding rate to that of the Excise duty—namely, to 8d. per cwt.; but that reduction had not yet passed into a law. However, a Treasury order had been issued with regard to the other duties and that also; and that order would be sus- pended, so that at present no import of soap would take place at the low duty—at least until after the Excise duty should have been abolished. With regard to the preparations which many persons were making to export soap under the heavy drawback, with the expectation that they would be able to reimport it from the Continent at the low duty of 8d. per cwt., or from Ireland and the Channel Islands free from duty altogether, he must inform his hon. Friend that although it appeared that under existing circumstances such an operation was possible, yet upon communications with the authorities of the Excise and Customs, he must give his hon. Friend and the public at large warning that every means would be taken to prevent such an operation from being successful. He had made this statement thus particularly in order that those who were making preparations to obtain indirectly a drawback on their present stock should not have any right to complain if they found that the authorities of the Excise and Customs should prevent any such operation from being successful.