§ 10. Mr. GOULDINGasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what progress, if any, has been made in the Government's negotiations with Portugal in regard to a commercial treaty referred to by him in his replies to questions on the following dates: 13th July, 1911, 14th December, 1911, and 14th November, 1912?
§ 11. Mr. WATTasked the right hon. Gentleman whether he is aware that the import duty to Portuguese territory for French and German chassis is £4 8s. 9d. 683 while for British chassis it is £15 10s. 6d.; and that for French and German tyres it is £1 13s. 3d., while for British tyres it is £19 19s. 4d.; will he say at what date he began negotiations with Portugal for the rectifying of this inequality; whether that country gives him any hope of success; and whether he will try to expedite matters in view of the fact that British traders are much handicapped by the present tariffs?
§ Sir E. GREYWith regard to the first part of the latter question, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which is being returned to-day by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade to the hon. Member for Worcester. In reply to the second part and to the question addressed to me by the hon. Member for Worcester, negotiations for the conclusion of a commercial treaty have been passing in one form or another between His Majesty's Government and the Portuguese Government at intervals since 1902. No reply was made by the Portuguese Government to the latest proposals that were laid before them, and these have been repeated to them last month, and a reply is expected.
§ Mr. MITCHELL-THOMSONMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether the figures in the first part of the question of the hon. Gentleman (Mr. Watt) are substantially accurate?
§ Mr. WATTCan the right hon. Gentleman give any reason for this preference to Germany and France over this country?
§ Sir E. GREYRoughly, the course of the negotiations has been that we have not got the most-favoured-nation treatment from Portugal because the Portuguese Government have complained that in regard to their wines we have not given them the most-favoured-nation treatment. It is a most complicated matter, which has been, and still is, the subject of negotiation.
§ Sir GEORGE YOUNGERWill the right hon. Gentleman tell the Portuguese Government that we do not think their action is fair, and that we will discriminate against them if they do not act fairly?
§ Sir E. GREYUnfortunately, the contention of the Portuguese Government is that we do already discriminate against their wines.