HC Deb 30 July 1894 vol 27 cc1238-9
SIR A. ROLLIT (Islington, S.)

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Commercial Treaties with Belgium and Germany prevent, or not, differential fiscal treatment by Great Britain in favour of its colonies, by the colonies in favour of Great Britain, or by the colonies in favour of each other?

THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir E. GREY,) Northumberland, Berwick

Article 15 of the Treaty of July 23, 1862, between Great Britain and Belgium is as follows:— Articles the produce and manufactures of Belgium shall not be subject in British Colonies to other or higher duties than those which are or may be imposed on similar articles of British origin. Article 7 of the Treaty between Great Britain and the Zollverein of May, 30, 1860, is as follows:— The stipulation of the preceding Articles 1 to 6 (they contain the whole of the Treaty) shall also be applied to the Colonies and foreign Possessions of Her Britannic Majesty. In those Colonies and Possessions the produce of the States of the Zollverein shall not be subject to any higher or other Import Duties than the produce of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, or of any other country, of the like kind; nor shall the exportation from those Colonies or Possessions to the Zollverein be subject to any higher or other duties than the exportation to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The general effect of these stipulations in regard to Import Duties, on the points mentioned in the question, are understood to be as follows: (1) They do not prevent differential treatment by the United Kingdom in favour of British Colonies. (2) They do prevent differential treatment by British Colonies in favour of the United Kingdom. (3) They do not prevent differential treatment by British Colonies in favour of each other.

COLONEL HOWARD VINCENT

Will the Under Secretary say whether Her Majesty's Government have decided to give notice to terminate the clause in these two Treaties, which thus limits the extension of Inter-British trade?

SIR E. GREY

That is a large question of general policy, and I cannot make any statement.

MR. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis)

Is the view just stated by the hon. Baronet identical with that held by the other Governments concerned? Has there been any divergence of opinion?

SIR E. GREY

There is no necessity on our part for denouncing the Treaties for any purpose.

MR. GIBSON BOWLES

I was not speaking of denouncing the Treaty. I want to know has the hon. Baronet expounded the view of the effect of the Treaties held by the other Governments concerned?

SIR E. GREY

I do not think there is any doubt that the explanation is founded on what the Treaties say, but that particular interpretation has not been discussed.