§ MR. SEXTON (Belfast, W.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether the amount of Customs Revenue collected at Belfast last year was 50 per cent greater than at Glasgow, 50 per cent greater than at Bristol, about three times as much as at Leith, and about 14 times as much as at Hull; whether the amount of Revenue generally determines the status of a port; whether the strength of the Customs' staff is greater at Leith and Bristol, and much greater at Hull and Glasgow, than at Belfast; whether the shipping of Belfast, including the foreign and coasting trade, roaches a higher total than that of any other of the above-named ports; whether the Customs expenditure at any of the other above-named ports is greater than at Belfast; and, what steps the Government propose to take to end the disparity of treatment?
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER SECRETARY (Colonel KING-HARMAN) (Kent, Isle of Thanet)(who replied) said: I will give the information which 1152 I have received from the Treasury. The amount of revenue colluded by Customs officers at Belfast last year was about 50 per cent greater than at Glasgow, 50 per cent greater than at Bristol, three times as much as at Leith, and 14 times as much as at Hull. The amount of revenue collected at a port does not by itself determine the status of a port, as the collection of revenue forms only a small part of the duties which have to be performed by Customs officers. The number of persons employed by the Customs at the Ports of Leith, Bristol, Hull, and Glasgow, are larger than the number employed at Belfast—the staff of established and extra men at each of the ports being as follows:—Belfast, 100; Bristol, 118; Leith, 108; Hull, 189; Glasgow, 182. The shipping of Belfast, including the foreign and coasting trade, reaches a higher total than at the other ports named; but the shipping at Belfast is mainly employed in the coasting trade, whereas at the other ports there is large foreign trade. The expenditure on the Customs establishment is greater at Glasgow, Hull, and Bristol than at Belfast; but it is less at Leith than at Belfast. The staff and consequent expenditure at the several ports is regulated by the amount and the nature of the work at each, and the Board of Customs see no cause for changing the present arrangements.