HC Deb 05 May 1840 vol 53 cc1308-9
Mr. Hume

said, that as there was no objection to the motion of which he had given notice, he would not trouble the House with any statement, further than to say that his object was to ascertain how far the duties levied on imports were protective, or were levied for the purpose of revenue alone. He hoped that the result would be to induce the House to make some alteration in the state of our tariff. The hon. Member concluded by moving for a select committee to inquire into the several duties levied on imports into the United Kingdom; and whether those duties are for protection to similar articles, the produce or manufacture of this country or of the British possessions abroad; or whether the duties are for the purposes of revenue.

Lord Granville Somerset

wished to know whether it was intended that this committee should take the subject of the Corn-laws into its consideration?

Mr. Labouchere

said, that he had objected to the motion in its original form, as making the inquiry too extensive; but he imagined, upon reading the words of this motion, that the object of the committee would be to classify the information it obtained with regard to duties on commodities into this country, whether protective or levied for purposes of revenue; and in that way he thought the committee might be usefully employed; but if they were to pronounce opinions on the expediency of protecting this or that article, he should despair of deriving from their labours any useful result.

Mr. Hume

was too well aware of the inutility of submitting the recommendation of committees to that House upon so great a question to think of proposing such a committee; but when he told the House that there were 1,150 different entries in our tariff' book, which every man importing goods must be acquainted with, whilst the tariff book of the German states of Holland or Belgium, did not contain half that number, it must be admitted that an inquiry was necessary, as it might be the means of simplifying that tariff book..

Lord Granville Somerset

said, that of course, after the explanation which had been given, the great question of the Corn-laws would not come before the committee, and he was inclined to think that their labours might be productive of good.

Motion agreed to.