80. Mr. ALLENasked the President of the Board of Trade whether, during the negotiations of the Anglo-Argentine commercial understanding, the desirability was considered of securing for linen and other depressed industries the same preferential treatment as that accorded to the artificial silk industry?
§ Mr. GILLETT (Secretary, Overseas Trade Department)No, Sir, no commercial negotiations in the ordinary sense have taken place, but Lord D'Abernon's Mission drew attention to the duties on artificial silk goods, because they were abnormally high and because it had been represented to them that this was an outstanding case of a trade which was capable of considerable expansion if the duties in force could be materially reduced. No such representations have reached the Board of Trade in recent years in regard to linen goods.