§ 51. Mr. BRIANTasked the Prime Minister if any of our Allies are imposing a 50 per cent, charge on German goods imported into their countries in order to obtain the payment of amounts due for reparation; if at the present time German goods can be imported into every one of the Allied countries without payment of such charge; and if this condition is likely to divert German trade from this country?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of TRADE (Sir W. Mitchell-Thomson)I have been asked to reply. Steps are being taken by several of our Allies to enact legislation similar to our Reparation Recovery Act, but such legislation is not yet in operation except in the United Kingdom. So long as the German Government do not compensate their exporters these measures will no doubt restrict German exports, in the first instance to this country, and afterwards to other countries adopting similar legislation.
§ Mr. BRIANTIs not this in effect simply a protective duty?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONThe question appears to be rather in the nature of an argument for the Second Reading of a Bill.