18. Mr. DOYLEasked the President of the Board of Trade the relative increase in tariffs imposed upon British manufactured and semi-manufactured goods during the last two years by the following countries: The United States, France, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Japan, the British Overseas Dominions, Holland, the Scandinavian States and Greece, respectively; and, where any such additions have been made, what protest was made?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of TRADE (Sir W. Mitchell-Thomson)It is not possible to give any general estimate of the relative increases of the import duties on United Kingdom goods in the countries mentioned since the beginning of 1920. Such changes as have been made in the tariffs of the United States, Holland, Sweden, 714 Norway and Denmark have been of a minor character, and have not, generally speaking, affected our staple exports. In Japan and Greece increases of duty have been somewhat more important, but we have treaties fixing the rates for the most important classes of our exports. In France, Italy, Belgium and Germany, increases of duty on a comprehensive scale have been introduced; but only in regard to the French and Italian tariff revisions has any large volume of complaint been received from United Kingdom exporters, and in both cases formal representations have been made by His Majesty's Government. As regards the Dominions, the new Australian tariff, whilst increasing many of the duties, at the same time increased the preference on our goods; the New Zealand revision was distinctly favourable to our trade. The general increase of the level of the Newfoundland duties has not given rise to any protests, and Canada and South Africa have maintained their tariffs practically unchanged.