§ MR. T. F. RICHARDS (Wolverhampton, W.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether it is his intention, before entirely prohibiting the practice of lining hollow ware with any percentage of lead included in the tinning process, at the same time to prohibit the importation of hollow ware the lining of which contains any percentage of lead.
§ MR. GLADSTONEI understand the hon. Member to refer to the proposal in the draft regulations recently issued by me to prohibit the use of lead in the tinning of metal hollow ware. Careful inquiries were made before the draft was issued as to competition from foreign manufacturers, and though exact information was not obtainable, the result was to show that little or no ware of this kind tinned with lead is imported into this country. I would refer the hon. Member to page 14 of the Report on this subject which has been presented to Parliament, 1907–Cd. 3793.
§ MR. T. F. RICHARDSCannot this trade claim the same assistance from the Home Secretary as the phosphorous match trade is getting in the Bill now under consideration?
§ * MR. GLADSTONEI am informed that there is practically no deleterious lead in this imported hollow ware. In the case of phosphorous matches there is grave danger to those employed in the manufacture.
§ MR. R. DUNCAN (Lanarkshire, Govan)What foreign countries gave information freely on the question?
§ MR. GLADSTONEPerhaps the hon. Member will consult the Report to which I have referred.