§ MR. BADEN-POWELL (Liverpool, Kirkdale)asked the Secretary to the Treasury, Whether the Revenue Department has ceased to keep separate accounts of stamps sold under the heads "Inland Bill," "Foreign Adhesive Bill," and "Foreign Bill," stamps; and, whether, with a view to securing a full statement of the balance between Exports and Imports, by thus recording the amount of credit business transacted (both home and foreign), arrangements can be made that in future a special account be kept of the values sold annually of these three classes of stamps?
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. HENRY H. FOWLER) (Wolverhampton, E.)There are two kinds of bill stamps—impressed, used for Inland bills, and adhesive, used for foreign bills. From the first of April, 1884, an account has been kept, but not printed, of the produce of each kind, which gives the following results:—Inland bill stamps, £342,132; foreign bill stamps, £362,981; or a total of £705,113. An account has also been kept of the number of stamps impressed at each rate; but no such account has been kept as regards adhesive stamps, as it is considered that such an account would have no value as showing the number of bills drawn, because in most cases the duty might, and probably would, be indicated by more than one stamp—for instance, £1 duty by two 10s. stamps, or a 10s. duty by four 2s. 6d. stamps.