§ 42. Mr. RAFFANasked the President of the Board of Trade whether the Licensing Sub-committee (Dyes Department) of the Import Restrictions Department has the power, before granting permission for the importation of medicinal chemicals said to come within their province, to demand the name of the actual manufacturers as well as that of the consignors and to demand the original invoice and to levy a charge of 1 per cent, on the said invoice, estimated at the rate of exchange at the time of granting permission to import?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANChemicals of kinds which are intermediate materials for the manufacture of dyestuffs can be imported only under licence and must be consigned, to the Central Importing Agency, which is entitled to levy a charge of 1 per cent. to meet expenses incurred. This arrangement has been made by the Licensing Subcommittee of the Trade and Licensing. Committee equally representative of dye-makers and dye-users established under the Government scheme for the encouragement of the, dye-making industry, and has met with the general approval of all the interests concerned. The name of the actual manufacturer is necessary in order to prevent the indirect importation of German dyes and materials, and the invoice value for the purpose of calculating the agency fee. Chemicals suitable only for medicinal purposes are not included within the scope of the arrangement. The Licensing Sub-committee of the Dyes Department is distinct from the Import Restrictions Department. No fees are charged by the latter.
§ 43. Mr. RAFFANasked the President of the Board of Trade whether the Department of Import Restrictions is asking why the requirements of chemical firms for such chemicals as diethyl barbituric acid, methyl sulphonal, and santoine cannot be satisfied in this country, notwithstanding the fact that these chemicals are not manufactured in Great Britain to any appreciable extent?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANNo inquiry as to the chemicals named can at present be traced, but it is a usual matter of routine to inquire of applicants for licences whether their wants cannot be satisfied from home sources. When it is agreed that chemicals 1613 which are needed are not manufactured in this country to any appreciable extent licences to import them are freely issued.
§ 65. Mr. RAFFANasked the President of the Board of Trade whether the Licensing Sub-committee (Dyes Department) of the Import Restrictions Department has the power, under Proclamation No. 29, to prohibit the importation of such chemicals as antipyrin, amidopyrin, and phenacetin, notwithstanding the fact that these chemicals are used entirely for medicinal purposes, and arc not in any sense intermediary dye products?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANThe three products named are undoubtedly intermediate coal-tar products, but for the reason stated in the question the duty of issuing licences for them has, by interdepartmental arrangement, been transferred from the Licensing Sub-committee of the Dyes Department to the Department of Import Restrictions.