HC Deb 03 April 1922 vol 152 cc1817-8
19. Dr. MURRAY

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the judgments already signed in respect of santonine, cream of tartar, tartaric acid, citric acid, and lactose by Mr. Cyril Atkinson, K.C., the Referee appointed by the Lord Chan cellor to arbitrate in disputes arising with the Board of Trade under Part I of the Safeguarding of Industries Act, and to the reports of the Committees appointed by him under Part II of the same Act to investigate the complaints made by British toy manufacturers and by the gold beaters that unemployment is being caused in their industries by reason of the collapse of the German exchange; and whether, in view of these facts, he is prepared to repeal the Act, which places a heavy burden of administrative difficulty upon the Board of Trade and His Majesty's Customs, and which satisfies neither manufacturers nor distributors, while avowedly increasing prices to the consumer?

Mr. BALDWIN

I am aware of the decisions to which the hon. Member refers, but I do not accept his conclusion from them, and I am not prepared to take the course suggested.

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