§ 21. Colonel YATEasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the action of French boot manufacturers, who are stated to be bringing pressure on the French Government to prohibit the importation of boots into France, is causing anxiety to the boot manufacturers of Leicester and doubtless of other towns as well; and whether he will now recommend the Government to at once put a Customs duty on French-made boots imported into this country equal in amount to the Customs duty levied by the French Government on British-made boots imported into France, in order to put the Leicester boot manufacturers on an equal footing with the French manufacturers and to give them something to bargain with?
Mr. D. WARDThe importation of boots into France is already prohibited except under licence. I have no official information as to any movement in that country to induce the French Government to withhold licences. The position of this country is in any case safeguarded by a reciprocal agreement between the French Government and His Majesty's Government, under which with certain specified exceptions licences are to be given for the importation of all French goods into this country and all United Kingdom goods, including boots and shoes, into France. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative.
§ Colonel YATEHas the hon. and gallant Gentleman received representations from the Chamber of Commerce of Northampton, as well as Leicester, on this subject, and is he going to take no action on these representations?