§ 3. Captain W. BENNasked the President of the Board of Trade why the draft Order under Part II of the Safeguarding of Industries Act applies only in respect of domestic illuminating and mounting glassware to articles imported from Germany, in view of the fact that the Committee inquired into and recommended a duty upon similar articles imported from Czecho-Slovakia?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONThis is one of the matters with which my right hon. Friend will deal when the Order comes before the House.
§ 5. Mr. GILBERTasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state the total quantities and values of glassware imported from Germany into this country for the year ending 31st March, 1922, and on which it is now proposed to impose a duty of 33⅓ per cent.?
§ Sir WILLIAM MITCHELL-THOMSONThe answer involves a statement of figures, which, with the hon. Member's permission, I will have circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
The following statement shows the quantities and values of certain deserip- 1633 tions of glassware registered during the twelve months ended 31st March, 1922, as imported into the United Kingdom, consigned from Germany:
| — | Quantity. | Value. |
| cwts. | £ | |
| Domestic and fancy glassware (including cooking utensils, table glassware, ornamental glassware). | 54,375 | 105,375 |
| Illumination glassware:— | ||
| Globes and shades (other than oil lamp chimneys). | 39,804 | 73,103 |
| Other descriptions (other than oil lamp chimneys, electric lamp bulbs and miner's lamp glasses). | 430 | 852 |
§ The range of articles included under the heading "Domestic and Fancy Glassware" is wider than that covered by the Safeguarding of Industries (No. 1) Order, as separate particulars are not available with regard to articles not so covered.
§ 9. Mr. RAFFANasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has had an opportunity of considering the decision of the referee, given on 12th June, regarding the complaint of Messrs. Lang and Sons as to the referee's definition of scientific glassware; and, if so, whether it is intended to take action thereon?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONThe learned referee has decided that the articles to which the complaint relates are properly included in the list issued by the Board of Trade. The question whether any particular imported goods do or do not fall within any of the descriptions is a matter for the determination of His Majesty's Customs.
§ 11. Major KELLEYasked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the very grave unemployment in the Yorkshire glass trade at Mexborough and elsewhere, he can expedite the completion of the inquiry into the importation of glass bottles and take the requisite action thereon if a case is proved?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONI am informed that the Committee have completed the hearing of evidence, and I have no doubt that they will prepare their Report as expeditiously as possible.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYIs the hon. Baronet aware that, if any rise 1634 in the price of glass bottles takes place, the mineral water trade of this country will be entirely ruined?
§ 15. Mr. BRIANTasked the President of the Board of Trade whether hi special attention has been called to Section r of the Report of the Domestic Illuminating and Mounting Glassware Committee under Part II of the Safeguarding of Industries Act; whether the draft Order laid upon the Table of the House includes the tumblers to which that Section refers; and, if so, whether he can offer the House any statistics or other information as to the grounds on which he has made the Order in respect of tumblers in the face of the Committee's recommendation?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative; the answer to the second part is in the negative; and the third part consequently does not arise.
§ 18. Mr. KILEYasked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the fact that Section 5 of the Domestic, Illuminating, and Mounting Glassware Committee's Report under the Safeguarding of Industries Act, Part II, expressly states their opinion that glassware, so far as it may be the subject of an Order in consequence of this Report, should be expressly defined as not including pressed glass, he will state why note (a) to the Schedule contained in the draft Order laid upon the Table of the House limits the exclusion to any article of glassware which is only pressed; and whether he can state why this form of words is used in place of the words recommended by the Committee?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONI am advised that certain types of glassware which are made of pressed glass undergo other processes and are not ordinarily included within the term "pressed glass," and the formula employed in the draft Order has consequently been adopted for the sake of greater clearness.
§ Mr. KILEYIs it understood that pressed glass is exempted from the Order, although, if it is coloured in any way, it is dutiable?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONI can only refer my hon. Friend to the terms of the Order.
§ Captain BENNHas the Board of Trade power to include an article not recommended by the Committee for duty?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONI shall require notice of that question.