§ Mr. BIRDasked the President of the Board of Trade if he would state the number of motor cars with bodies and also of chassis without bodies, all of foreign manufacture, imported into this country during 1909; and the value of the above and the value of the motor car parts and accessories imported from abroad during the same year.
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. Sydney Buxton)3,666 motor cars of a declared value of £1,223,053 and 4,855 chassis of a declared value of £1,321,596 were imported into the United Kingdom in 1909, in addition to other parts of motor cars valued at £1,771,960.
§ Mr. BIRDWill the right hon. Gentleman state the number of motor cars manufactured in each year during the past seven years in the United States of America from the figures compiled by the American Association of Licensed Automobile Manufacturers, at the same time giving the rate of protective duty levied during those years upon motor cars entering the United 1155 States of America, and the value of the imported cars upon, which that duty was paid?
§ Mr. BUXTONI have not seen the figures compiled by the association to which the hon. Member refers. The rate of Import Duty levied in the United States on imported motor cars has been 45 per cent, ad valorem throughout the period specified in the question. The value of motor cars imported into the United States on which duty has been paid in the years ended 30th June, 1903, to 1908, has been as follows:—
| £ | ||||
| 1903 | … | … | … | 201,000 |
| 1904 | … | … | … | 270,000 |
| 1905 | … | … | … | 479,000 |
| 1906 | … | … | … | 783,000 |
| 1907 | … | … | … | 817,000 |
| 1908 | … | … | … | 495,000 |
§ Figures for the year ended 30th June, 1909, are not yet available.
§ Mr. BIRDCan the right hon. Gentleman give me the number of motor cars returned by the American Association of Licensed Automobile Manufacturers during the last seven years?
§ Mr. BUXTONI have stated that I have not seen the figures the hon. Member refers to.
§ Mr. BIRDWould it be possible for the right hon. Gentleman to obtain those figures from the American Embassy?
§ Mr. BUXTONI have given the hon. Member the official figures. I do not know that the figures provided by the American association will throw any more light upon this question, but I will endeavour to obtain the information desired by the hon. Member.
§ Mr. BIRDasked the right hon. Gentleman if he will state the value of British-made motor cars and chassis exported from this country during 1909 and the actual total of British-made cars produced in 1909, according to the returns of the British Society of Motor Manufacturers?
§ Mr. BUXTONTwo thousand five hundred and eighty-three motor-cars and 219 chassis of United Kingdom manufacture were exported in 1909, their combined value being £1,037,787. The value of motor-car parts exported was £525,818. I am unable to give any estimate of the production in 1909, but the Returns obtained 1156 under the Census of Production Act, 1906, show that in 1907 there were 9,700 motorcars and chassis built at engineering, cycle and motor factories, whose combined value at the works was £4,181,000.