5 and 6. Mr. L'ESTRANGE MALONEasked the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether, seeing that the revised French import duty of 15 per cent. ad valorem on footwear is to apply only to those nations who have not a commercial treaty with France and that, as a consequence, British footwear entering France will be subject to a higher rate of duty than the footwear of Germany and other countries which have recently concluded such treaties, he will, with a view to facilitating British trade with France, consider concluding a commercial treaty, or state what other action he proposes to take;
(2) whether he has received a communication from the Société des Chaussures 189 Manfield, France, a subsidiary of a British company, pointing out the effect on the sale of British-made footwear in France of the proposed new French import tariff on footwear; and what action he proposes to take in the matter?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERI have no reason to believe that, in the application of the proposed increased import duty on footwear, any departure will be made from the existing general most-favoured-nation treatment which France accords to British goods. As regards the latter part of each question, I would refer to the answer given to the hon. Member yesterday by the Secretary to the Department of Overseas Trade.
Mr. MALONEIs it not, a fact that 15 per cent. ad valorem is going to be put on imported footwear, and is not that a very important consideration?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERThe point I was asked to deal with was the question of most-favoured-nation treatment. It is true that there is a proposed increase in duty, which will probably figure in one of the Bills now before the French Chamber.