§ 2 Mr. REMERasked the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether there are any trade agreements in existence between England and Japan which provide for the free importation into this country of manufactured silk goods; if so, on what dates they were made; for how long do they last; whether there are any advantages to this country given by Japan;
(2) whether there are any trade agreements in existence between England and France which provide for the free importation into this country of manufactured silk goods; if so, on what dates they were made; for how long do they last; whether there are any advantages to this country given by France;
(3) whether there are any trade agreements in existence between England and Italy which provide for the free importation into this country of manufactured silk goods; if so, on what dates they were made; for how long do they last; and whether there are any advantages to this country given by Italy?
§ Sir P. LLOYD-GREAME (Secretary, Overseas Trade Department)Under Article 8 of the Anglo-Japanese Treaty of Commerce and Navigation the duties on the importation into Japan of a number of goods of importance to British trade set out in a Schedule to the Article were materially reduced, and in return the free importation of certain scheduled goods of Japanese origin into this country was guaranteed. Among the latter goods were habutæ of pure silk not dyed or printed, and handkerchiefs of habutæ of pure silk not dyed or printed. The Treaty was ratified on 5th May, 1911, and is terminable at any date after 16th July, 1923, on 12 months' notice. The Treaty also contains provisions for the modification by agreement of the Schedules to Article 8, or, failing agreement, for the termination of the Article not earlier than 12 months after either party has made application to the other for its amendment, such termination being without prejudice to the remainder of the Treaty. There are no agreements in force providing for the duty free importation of silk into this country from either France or Italy. The latter country, it is true, is entitled to most-favoured-nation treatment, but Italian silks are not of the description covered by our arrangement with Japan.