§ 34. Mr. MACKINDERasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why imported artificial sill: pom-poms for slippers are allowed to enter as silk waste when they 244 have to go through the following manufacturing processes, namely, combing, dyeing, tying, cutting, knotting, hammering, recutting, and recombing?
§ Mr. McNEILLI am advised that the articles referred to are in effect merely short lengths of artificial silk waste tied and pressed and are liable to duty on their weight as artificial silk waste.
§ Mr. MACKINDERIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that importing these goods under the present methods is having an effect adverse from that which the Budget originally intended, and will he look into the matter?
§ Mr. McNEILLI am personally not an expert on silk pom-poms, but in the opinion of those who are, this is a question of categories which has been very carefully considered.
§ Mr. MACKINDERIs the right hon. Gentleman prepared to examine some of these goods and to use his intelligence, even if he is not an expert?
§ Mr. McNEILLCertainly, if the right hon. Gentleman will bring some.
§ Mr. MACKINDERI will bring some.
§ Mr. REMERIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that a great deal of trouble is caused by these goods coming into the country and that a great deal of fraud is going on, and will he take steps to prevent that?
§ Mr. McNEILLI have not heard of that particular point, but I think the vigilance of the authorities may be trusted to deal with it.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYIs this a key industry?
§ 35. Mr. MACKINDERasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider the exemption from duty of such silk goods and yarn as are not manufactured in this country and which are imported with the view of re-exporting to the Colonies; and if he has seen any indication that, as a result of the duty on these particular goods, increased trade is being done direct between foreign countries and the Colonies?
§ Mr. McNEILLI am unable to adopt the proposal in the first part of the question; provision is already made by means of the bonded warehouse system and the 245 drawbacks allowed by the Finance Act, 1925, to relieve all re-exported silk goods from duty. As regards the second part of the question, I have no information which would justify the inference suggested.
§ Mr. MACKINDERWill the right hon. Gentleman consider such information if it is brought to his notice?
§ Mr. McNEILLCertainly.
§ 56. Mr. MACKINDERasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any information as to whether Great Britain's share in the production of artificial silk is greater or less than a year ago?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERI have been asked to reply. Such unofficial estimates as are available, though showing that the progress of artificial silk production in different countries has been far from uniform from year to year, indicate that this country is, on the whole, maintaining its proportion of the world's total output.
§ Mr. MACKINDERHas the right hon. Gentleman's attention been drawn to a statement that Great Britain has sunk from second to fourth place in world production?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERI have not seen that statement, but I have seen a number of other estimates, and on the whole the best opinion we can form is that probably we are holding our own.
§ 58. Mr. RAMSDENasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the imports of the new synthetic fibre known as sniafil are subject to duty?
§ Mr. McNEILLI am advised that the product known as "Sniafil" is in fact artificial silk and therefore liable to the duty on artificial silk.