§ COLONEL HOWARD VINCENT (Sheffield, Central)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if he has received a resolution from the brush-makers of Dalkeith, N.B., as to the hardships caused to their trade by the free importation of foreign-made prison brush-ware, and calling attention to the fact that by the importation of criminal-made goods many respectable men and women are being driven into the ranks of the unemployed; and if he will use his influence with the Government either to bring forward legislation upon this subject or to give time for the discussion of the Importation of Prison-Made Goods Bill?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. BRYCE,) Aberdeen, S.I have seen the resolution referred to by my hon. Friend. No information is given, however, tending to establish the accuracy of the statements which it contains. As I have previously informed the House, inquiries are being conducted through the Foreign Office on this subject. So far as those inquiries have gone, they lead me to believe that the quantity of prison-made brushware imported is infinitesimally small in proportion to the amount of goods of this kind placed on the home market, and cannot substantially affect British brush-makers. Under these circumstances, there seems to be no reason for asking the House to devote a part of its scanty time to the hon. Member's Bill.
§ COLONEL HOWARD VINCENTI must ask my right hon. Friend when the Report from the British Ambassador in Berlin on this subject is to be laid before Parliament; and whether he is aware that according to the skilled calculations of Mr. Byers, the well-known brush manufacturer in Dumfriesshire, a brush which costs the British manufacturer 7s. 5½d. per dozen to produce is made in German prisons and sold at the doors of English and Scotch brush factories for 3s. 6d. per dozen?
§ MR. BRYCEsaid, he could not state when the Report would be ready. Inquiries were being made in different foreign countries, but he trusted that it would be laid on the Table before long.
§ COLONEL HOWARD VINCENTMay I have cognizance of the Report received from the British Embassy at Berlin? It was promised me by the right hon. Gentleman's predecessor.
§ MR. MUNDELLA (Sheffield, Brightside)No; I made no such promise. I said that inquiries were being made, and as soon as we obtained the result I would communicate it to the House.
§ COLONEL HOWARD VINCENTIf the Report is being kept back, will the right hon. Gentleman allow me to have cognizance of it?
§ MR. BRYCEIt is not being kept back from the House, but it has been thought undesirable to present only partial facts.
§ COLONEL HOWARD VINCENTI will communicate with the right hon. Gentleman.