HC Deb 24 July 1922 vol 157 cc5-7
13. Mr. HOGGE

asked the President of the Board of Trade on what grounds he has satisfied himself that there is unemployment in the decorating of domestic enamelled hollow-ware seeing that he proposes to recommend that a duty of 33⅓ per cent. shall be imposed on such imported articles, in view of the fact that the Committee appointed by him reported that this decorated ware is not made in Great Britain?

Mr. BALDWIN

If the hon. Member will read paragraph 12 of the Committee's Report, he will see that decorated enamelled ware is specially mentioned in the Order merely in order to prevent any possibility of evasion on the lines the Committee had in mind.

Mr. HOGGE

Can the right hon. Gentleman say if he has satisfied himself that there is unemployment in the decorative enamelling trade?

Mr. BALDWIN

If my hon. Friend—and I say this with profound respect—knew more about the trade, he would know that there is no special branch for decorative enamelling. The unemployment is in the whole trade, whether the enamel ware be decorated or not. The reasons for including decorative enamelling ware were specifically given in the Report.

Mr. KILEY

If there be no unemployment, why put a tariff on the ware?

Mr. BALDWIN

I did not quite catch why my hon. Friend asked.

19. Mr. BRIANT

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his special attention has been called to Section 14 of the Aluminium Hollow-ware Committee's Report under Part II of the Safeguarding of Industries Act and to the fact that the recommendation contained therein was repeated in the same Committee's Report respecting wrought enamelled hollow-ware; and whether he can give the reason why, in spite of this recommendation thus emphasised by repetition, the draft Order proposes to place an import duty on both types of hollow-ware for the maximum period of time allowed under Section 9 of the Safeguarding of Industries Act?

Mr. BALDWIN

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As the hon. Member was informed on the 26th June, this is one of the matters with which I propose to deal when the Order comes up for discussion in this House.