§ 41. Captain P. MACDONALDasked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department what was the estimated value to British trade during the last year for which figures are available of tariff preferences given by the British Dominions, and what was the estimated value to the Dominions during the same period of tariff preferences given by Great Britain?
§ Mr. GILLETTI am afraid that no estimate is available as to the value of the Tariff Preferences given to British goods under the Customs Tariffs of the British Dominions as they at present stand; but an estimate made on the basis of 1929 trade figures indicates that the total amount of import duty levied under the Customs Tariffs in force in that year in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Union of South Africa, and the Irish Free State, on United Kingdom goods, was some £15,000,000 less than it would have been had the same United Kingdom goods been subjected to the rates of duty applicable to similar goods of foreign manufacture. The amount of duty levied on import into this country of such products from these five Dominions as are subject to duty amounted to some £3,500,000 less than would have been the case had the full tariff rate been applied.
§ Sir ASSHETON POWNALLMay I ask the hon. Member if he does not think that there is sufficient reason for a great extension of the preferences we give to the Dominions?