§ 41. Mr. LAMBERTasked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department if he will specify the commercial treaties by which this country is debarred from controlling imports of subsidised foodstuffs by prohibition, tariffs, licensing, or otherwise; the date on which each of these treaties was ratified; the period of notice required for the denunciation of the treaties in each case; and the number of cases in which His Majesty's Government has already taken steps to denounce commercial treaties affecting subsidised food imports?
§ Mr. GILLETTAs the answer is long, I will, with the right hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the answer:
§ The treaties and arrangements set out in the following tables contain specific provisions which I am advised would prevent the imposition of discriminatory duties or prohibitions upon the importation of goods from the countries concerned on the ground that they were subsidised. The provisions contained in these instruments are not uniform in wording and their exact application would in some cases depend upon the nature of the legislation imposing any such duties or prohibitions.
§ Apart from the most-favoured-nation obligations contained in these instruments the Convention for the Abolition of Prohibitions and Restrictions, the Anglo-German Treaty and the Anglo-Persian Tariff Autonomy Treaty (which is provisionally in force) preclude the imposition of such prohibitions or restrictions upon the importation of goods the produce of the parties whether or not similar prohibitions are imposed upon the goods of other countries.
§ The answer to the last part of the question is none.
1773| TABLE I | |||
| Treaties and Arrangements which would preclude discrimination whether by duties, prohibitions or restrictions, against the goods of the countries concerned on the ground that they were subsidised. | |||
| Country. | Date of coming into force. | When terminable. | |
| Albania | … | 10th June, 1925 | At any time on 3 months' notice. |
| Argentina | … | 12th May, 1825 | No provision for termination. |
| Bolivia | … | 5th July, 1912 | At any time on 12 months' notice. |
| Bulgaria | … | 12th November, 1925 | At any time on 3 mouths' notice. |
| Colombia | … | 17th October, 1866 | At any time on 12 months' notice. |
| Egypt | … | 7th June, 1930 | In force until 16th February, 1931. |
| Germany | … | 8th September, 1925 | At any time on 12 months' notice. |
| Greece | … | 10th December, 1926 | At any time on 12 months' notice. |
| Hungary | … | 26th July, 1927 | 26th July, 1937, or thereafter on 12 months' notice. |
| Italy | … | 1st July, 1883 | At any time on 12 months' notice. |
| Japan | … | 17th July, 1911 | 29th July, 1932, or thereafter on 12 months' notice. |
| Lithuania | … | 6th May, 1922 | At any time on 3 months' notice. |
| Nicaragua | … | 3rd September, 1906 | At any time on 12 months' notice. |
| Norway | … | 18th March, 1826 | At any time on 12 months' notice. |
| Persia | … | 10th May, 1928 | Provisionally in force. |
| Poland | … | 1st July, 1924 | At any time on 3 months' notice. |
| Roumania | … | 7th August, 1930 (Provisionally in force). | Two weeks' notice given at any time during provisional period. |
| Soviet Russia | … | 16th April, 1930 | At any time on 6 months' notice. |
| Sweden | … | 18th March, 1826 | At any time on 12 months' notice. |
| Turkey | … | 3rd September, 1930 | 3rd September, 1935, or thereafter on 12 months' notice. |
| U.S.A. | … | 3rd July, 1815 | At any time on 12 months notice. |
| Venezuela | … | 7th November, 1825 | No provision for termination. |
| Yugoslavia | … | 9th February, 1928 | 9th February, 1933, or thereafter on 12 months' notice. |