§ 28. Sir CLIVE MORRISON-BELLasked the President of the Board of Trade which two European countries have the highest customs tariff and which two the lowest, excluding in either case Great Britain and Russia; and if he can state, approximately or otherwise, what the respective tariffs would be expressed as percentages?
Mr. SAMUELMy hon. and gallant Friend will find a note on the relative ad valorem incidence of Customs Tariffs as affecting British trade on pages 542–5 of the volume entitled "Survey of Overseas Markets," which was published last year by the Committee on Trade and Industry. This note, however, deals only with the seven European countries which are of principal importance to our trade. I am afraid I could not undertake to extend the inquiry, since the labour and expense would be very heavy.
§ 29. Sir C. MORRISON-BELLasked the President of the Board of Trade if the countries of Latvia, Esthonia, and Lithuania are in one Customs union, or 268 if they have separate tariffs; and, if so, I what is the nominal height, approximate or otherwise, of their respective tariffs?
Mr. SAMUELThere is no Custom union between Latvia, Esthonia and Lithuania. As regards the second part of the question, I have no estimate, and here again the labour and expense involved in framing an estimate would be very considerable. I should, however, be happy to show my hon. and gallant Friend copies of the tariffs of these countries, if that course would be of help to him.
§ 30. Sir C. MORRISON-BELLasked the President of the Board of Trade if Albania is joined to Jugoslavia in a Customs union, or if these two countries have separate tariffs; and, if so, if he can state, approximately or otherwise, how these two tariffs compare?
Mr. SAMUELJugoslavia and Albania have distinct Customs regimes. It would be impossible to establish any general comparison between the two tariffs without an amount of labour and expense that could not be justified.