§ 62. Mr. HALLASasked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that a trade union meeting of glove and leather workers recently held at Worcester a resolution was unanimously passed protesting against the recent Government Order removing restrictions from imported leather gloves, and expressing the hope that a sufficiently high tax would be imposed on imported gloves or partly-made gloves to ensure that English workers shall not be rendered unemployed by underpaid foreign competition, as was the case before the War, and that it shall be made compulsory for imported gloves, whether finished or partly finished, to be stamped with the name of the country of their origin; and whether consideration will be given by the Government to these proposals?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANThe Prime Minister has asked me to reply to this question. I have no information about the resolution alluded to. The decision to allow leather gloves to be imported under general licence, free from restriction, was consequent upon a recommendation of the Import Consultative Council made after considering all the circumstances of the case. With reference to the suggested stamping of these goods with the name of the country of origin, I will see that the point is brought before the Committee about to be established to consider questions relating to the marking of goods of foreign origin.