§ MR. EMMOTTI beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will have prepared and present to Parliament a Report on the probable effect of preferential tariffs on the trade of the United Kingdom, applying to the United Kingdom criteria similar to those employed with reference to India in Cd. 1931 (1904).
§ MR. EMMOTTI beg also to ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will present to Parliament a statement of the probable effect on the trade of the United Kingdom of the proposals for retaliation explained by the Prime Minister, having especial regard to those countries which impose the highest tariffs on goods imported by them from this country.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. GERALD BALFOUR,) Leeds, CentralI do not think it right that a Government Department should be called upon to publish official Reports such as are asked for in these Questions, in which speculative conjecture and personal opinions must necessarily Play so large a part.