§ SIR THOMAS WRIGHTSON (St. Pancras, E.)To ask the Secretary to the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the circular issued by the Dortmund Clearing House intimating that it is authorised by the Coal Syndicate, the Dusseldorf and Siegerland Pig Iron Syndicates, and the Steel Syndicate, to grant bounties on iron and steel manufactures for the export market on the following basis for the second quarter: 1s. 6d. per ton on coal or coke, 4s. l0d. per ton on pig-iron. 15s. per ton on semi-finished basic steel, and 20s. per ton on shapes; and whether he proposes to take any action in the matter. (Answered by Mr. Bonar Law.) I am aware that in March last the Clearing House of the Rhenish Westphalian Coal Syndicate and the Pig Iron and Steel Syndicates fixed the amounts of the export bounties to be paid to syndicated firms during the second quarter of the year approximately at the amounts stated in the Question. The system under which the Kartell bounties are granted is not new, and is described in Cd. 1761, of 1903, and Cd. 2337, of 1904. No action in the matter is proposed.