§ 35. Mr. MACKINDERasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department what is the taxation imposed on the principal British exports to Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania, South Africa and Canada, respectively?
§ Mr. A. M. SAMUEL (Secretary, Overseas; Trade Department)If the hon. Member will be good enough to call at the Department of Overseas Trade, I will gladly arrange for him to see the Customs tariffs of these Dominions, and extract the information he desires.
§ Mr. MACKINDERWill the hon. Gentleman kindly answer the question on the Paper?
§ Mr. SAMUELWe have not the information to hand, and it could not be got together by my Department without a very great deal of expense. If the hon. Gentleman will consult with me as to exactly what he wants, I will see if we can extract the information that he requires.
§ Mr. MACKINDERSurely it is quite reasonable to expect that the Government Department keeps a list of the taxation imposed upon British goods in the Colonies, and they should be able to supply me with the information asked for.
§ Mr. SAMUELNo, Sir; because the question covers such a large ground that to get the information would entail the Government going to a very heavy expense.
§ Mr. HANNONWould it not mean publishing a whole volume in reply to a question on the Paper?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe difficulty obviously refers to the defining of principal exports. Perhaps the hon. Member will later specify the information he requires.