§ 40. Sir ALFRED MONDasked the President of the Board of Trade what was the value of imports into the United Kingdom of manufactured goods, finished and ready for consumption, in 1913; and what proportion of such imports consisted of luxuries?
The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. Robertson)Out of imports of goods in 1913 into the United Kingdom classed as wholly or mainly manufactured, the value of which was £193,600,000, goods to the value of about £70,200,000 were articles completely manufactured and ready for consumption. I am afraid it is impossible to say which of these articles should be considered as luxuries.
§ Sir A. MONDWill the hon. Gentleman state whether the Board of Trade can give any figures that correspond with the £30,000,000 of luxuries the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Bootle stated are imported annually?
Mr. ROBERTSONAs I have stated, we have no standard Whatever in regard luxuries. If the hon. Baronet could suggest to me how such a standard could be arrived at I should be glad.
§ 41. Sir A. MONDasked the President of the Board of Trade what was the value of manufactured goods imported into Germany and France, respectively, in 1912; and what was the net revenue received by those countries from Import Duties levied on such goods?
Mr. ROBERTSONThe imports of manufactured goods into France in 1912 amounted in value to £64,569,000, and the duties collected on these imports to £5,453,000. In the case of Germany the imports of goods classed as manufactures amounted in value to £79,069,000, and the duties collected on these goods to £7,281,000. The present German classification of manufactures, however, differs from those adopted in France and the United Kingdom, and if all goods classified as "wholly or mainly manufactured" in the United Kingdom were included the total imports into Germany of such goods in 1912 would have reached approximately 92 millions sterling, the duties collected on these goods being about £7,900,000. The particulars with regard to the duties collected represent in all cases the gross amounts, particulars of the net revenue from such duties, less the cost of collection, not being available.
§ Mr. JAMES HOPEMay I ask the hon. Gentleman if the tariffs which produce those results are revenue tariffs or protective tariffs?
Mr. ROBERTSONThat is a question for the hon. Member to put to himself—whether they are high or low.
§ Mr. J. HOPEI take it the hon. Member cannot answer?
§ 42. Sir A. MONDasked the President of the Board of Trade what was the value of dutiable imports and manufactured imports, respectively, into the United Kingdom in 1913 from all British Possessions and from the British self-governing Dominions, respectively?
Mr. ROBERTSONThe value of dutiable imports consigned to this country from all British Possessions in 1913 was £16,358,000, and the value of such imports from the 1809 self-governing Dominions was £188,000. The value of articles wholly or mainly manufactured consigned to this country from all British Possessions in the same year was £23,345,000. and the value of such imports from, the self-governing Dominions was £6,979,000.