§ COLONEL SADLER (Middlesbrough)To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been directed to the increase of duties on British manufactured goods exported to Germany under the new German: tariff; and will he consider the advisability of imposing countervailing duties on German manufactured goods imported into Great Britain, or taking steps to bring about a revision of the tariff.
(Answered by Mr. Gerald Balfour:) The new German tariff to which my hon. friend alludes is not in operation, and there has consequently been no increase in the duties on British manufactured goods exported to Germany. If he will refer to the issue of the Board of Trade Journal, dated 12th March (which he will be able to consult in the Library), he will find a statement on page 545 as to the character and scope of this tariff, and will see that before coming into force the tariff' is liable to modification as the result of commercial negotiations between Germany and other Powers. Representations as to the effect of the tariff, if applied to imports from the United Kingdom, on British trade with Germany have already been addressed through the Foreign Office to the German Government at the instance of the Commercial Intelligence Committee of the Board of Trade. The matter will continue to be carefully watched.