MR. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis)I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, is he aware that in 1901 sea fish of British take was landed in the United Kingdom of the value of £9,046,554, and that in 1902 diamonds to the value of £5,380,390 were exported from the Cape of Good Hope to the United Kingdom, and that neither of these two sums is included in the total value of all imports given in any published official statistics, and will he explain why this is. Are there any other articles imported into the United Kingdom the value whereof is omitted from the total value of all imports published in the statistics in question; and, if so, what are they?
§ *THK CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Mr. RITCHIE,) CroydonFresh fish of British taking imported in British ships are exempt from report and entry under the Customs Statutes, and consequently the Board 20 of Customs have no data for compiling-statistics on the subject. I understand that particulars are prepared and published by the Board of Trade. I doubt if freshly caught fish could properly be described as imports either from a foreign country or a British possession. The Returns of the importation of diamonds are very imperfect, but the figure which my hon. friend quotes as regards imports from Capo Colony is already given in a note on page 39 of Volume I. of the Annual Statement of Trade. Whether this figure should be included in the total of imports is worth considering, and I will see that it receives attention; but the information would in any case be incomplete. My hon. friend is no doubt aware that the Abstract Tables at the commencement of the Annual Statement exclude bullion and specie, and also foreign merchandise transhipped under bond.
MR. GIBSON BOWLESI beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, is he aware that up to 1853 a general Customs duty was levied in the United Kingdom of 5s. per cwt. on turbot and on soles of foreign take, while soles of British take were admitted free; and do His Majesty's Government, as part of the inquiry now being conducted, propose to inquire into the advisability of giving to British fishermen the advantages of a preferential tariff by re-imposing the fish duties.
§ *MR. RITCHIEThe answer to the first paragraph is in the affirmative. With regard to the second paragraph I cannot add anything to the statements which have been made on the question by the Prime Minister.
MR. GIBSON BOWLESNotwithstanding the view which the right hon. Gentleman has put forward it seems that fish is regarded as an import. In the previous answer he denied that it is chargeable.
§ *MR. RITCHIEWhat I said was that freshly caught fish could hardly be called imports from foreign countries.
MR. JAMES LOWTHER (Kent, Thanet)Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that great exception is taken to 21 foreign fish coming here free whilst our cargoes are subject to heavy imposts abroad?
§ *MR. RITCHIEI have heard that statement with regard to all other kinds of goods.