§ 63. Mr. FELLasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the 3,619 motor cars exported to this country from the United States, and valued at £744,392, or an average of £204 each car were sold in this country at a price about £25 each cheaper than the price at which, the same cars are sold in the United States; and if he will cause an inquiry to be made into the cause of this?
§ Mr. BURNSI think the hon. Member is misinformed. I have had inquiry made as to the relative prices in London and New York of each of the leading types of American cars in use in this country, and I find that in every case the price in London exceeds the price in New York by a substantial sum.
§ Mr. FELLWill the right hon. Gentleman make further inquiry on the subject through Consuls or otherwise?
§ Mr. BURNSThis question was only recently put to me. I will see what further information can be got.
§ 64. Mr. FELLasked the President of the Board of Trade if his attention has been called to the fact that under the new reduced tariff of the United States motor cars of the value of £400 each still pay a duty of 45 per cent. ad ralorem, and that this affects the English motor-car industry unduly, as the average value of the seventy-six motor cars exported from this country to the United States last year was £781 each, so that they all came under the maximum tariff; and, if so, what steps he proposes to take to improve the position of British manufacturers?
§ Mr. BURNSThe facts as to the duty leviable in the United States, and as to the average value of exports thereto from this country, are as stated in the question. The average value of motor cars imported into the United States from all countries 1407 is well above £400, so that imports from the United Kingdom do not appear to be under any special disability as compared with those imported from other sources. I do not propose to take any action in the matter.