§ 56. Mr. RUNCIMANasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will have prepared a statement showing how far the policy of Great Britain is in harmony with the findings of the Economic Conference?
§ Mr. A. M. SAMUEL (Secretary, Overseas Trade Department)I think it is well known to the House that British policy and practice in matters of commerce is in general accord with the recommendations of the Economic Conference. Those recommendations fall broadly under the following heads:
As regards liberty of trading, it has for many years been the practice of this country to accord national treatment to
§ of their total trade, during each of the last three trade years, calculated from the particulars published in the official returns of those countries. The figures relate to merchandise only, i.e., not including gold.
§ all ships, and to afford to the citizens of all countries the widest facilities for carrying on their trade in this country. Moreover, the British Government has taken an active part in promoting, and has consistently adhered to, all the conventions concluded under the auspices of the League of Nations to this end.
§ As regards Customs administration, Great Britain has adhered to the Customs Formalities Convention, and does not discriminate against any foreign country; and we are ready to take part in any international discussions on the possibility of simplifying the nomenclature.
§ As regards the scale of tariffs, it will be agreed that a distinction must be drawn between revenue duties countervailed by excise and duties into which a 15 protective element enters. In this respect, Great Britain may certainly claim a considerable lead, since these latter duties, as the British delegation pointed out, only apply to some 2 or 3 per cent, of British imports.
§ The Conference also laid stress on the importance of most-favoured-nation treatment in the widest sense. This again is in conformity with British practice, as exemplified in the whole range of our commercial treaties. Those treaties also provide in many cases, as recommended by the Conference, for the settlement of matters of dispute in the last resort by the Permanent Court of International Justice.
§ Mr. RUNCIMANWill the hon. Member consider the issue of the statement in parallel columns of the final recommendations of the Economic Conference and the statement that he has now given in rather general form, for more precise use?
§ Mr. SAMUELThe recommendations of this Conference are so many and so important that I hope the right hon. Gentleman will not press for any definite or immediate reply, because replies might be given which might have to be qualified afterwards and they might put my right hon. Friend into the position of having said something about which he has not had full time for consideration.
§ Mr. CRAWFURDWill the hon. Member press on the Government the importance, at a time when all the European nations are tending more towards a policy of freedom of trade, that the Government's policy should not be directed in the opposite direction?
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYWill the hon. Member, when he is considering the suggestion of the right hon. Gentleman the Member for West Swansea (Mr. Runciman) for information in parallel columns, also give us the list of the 5,000 articles which at present are taxed for protective purposes?