§ 5. Mr. CRAWFURDasked the President of the Board of Trade the quantity and value of fine chemicals imported during the years 1926, 1927 and 1928, and the amount of duty collected thereon; and if he will give the names of fine chemicals which have been removed from the list of dutiable articles during the years 1926, 1927 and 1928 and those which have been placed in the list in the same period?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERThe answer is rather long, and the hon. Member will perhaps agree to my circulating it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. CRAWFURDWith regard to the second part of the question, could the right hon. Gentleman just give the total number of articles taken off and the total number added?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERNo, I am afraid I could not do that, because there are three White Papers which give them in detail. I will certainly send the hon. Member copies of them if he is not otherwise able to obtain them.
§ Mr. WEDGWOOD BENNCan the right hon. Gentleman tell us whether radium compounds have at any time been in this list?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERAgain, I have not got the exact list before me, but, speaking from memory, radium was at one time in the list and is now exempted from duty, but I would rather the hon. Gentleman put down a question, so that I could give him a precise answer. My recollection certainly is that at the present time radium and, I think, radium compounds, are exempt from duty.
§ Following is the answer:
§ Under the Safeguarding of Industries Act, 1921, and the Finance Act, 1926, an import duty is leviable on synthetic organic chemicals, analytical re-agents, all other fine chemicals, and chemicals manufactured by fermentation processes; and the information available relates to the whole of this group of chemicals. The imports of these chemicals subject to duty, retained for home consumption in the years 1926, 1927 and 1928, were valued at £493,740, £552,942 and £567,852 respectively, and the amount of duty paid was £164,630, £184,002 and £188,871. Particulars of quantities are not available, and imports of goods consigned from and manufactured in the British Empire, which are not subject to the duty, are not included.
§ The names of the chemicals which have been added to the list of dutiable articles during these years are contained in the "Additional lists of articles chargeable with duty under Part 1 of the Safeguard-of Industries Act," which are published in the Stationery Office paper 51–106 of 1928. Lists of the chemicals which have, under the powers conferred by Section 10 (5) of the Finance Act, 1926, been exempted from duty for various periods, are contained in Statutory Rules and Orders No. 761 of 1927, 927 of 1928, and 985 of 1928, which have also been issued by the Stationery Office.