HC Deb 27 January 1931 vol 247 cc783-4
19. Mr. O'CONNOR

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the additional amount of lace which has been imported into this country since the removal of the safeguarding duty on lace, as evidenced by the diminution in employment in the lace trade, he will cause a monthly statement to be issued showing the imports of lace through the medium of the parcel post?

Mr. GRAHAM

For the reason stated in answer to the question put by the hon. and gallant Member for Bournemouth (Sir H. Croft) on the 23rd January, I regret that I am unable to issue a monthly statement of the imports by parcel post of lace or of any other goods which were formerly chargeable with a safeguarding duty.

Mr. O'CONNOR

In view of the desirability of the country knowing exactly what the effect of the Safeguarding Duties have been, will the right hon. Gentleman make special arrangements for these figures to be collected, without which no details of lace imports can be really obtained?

Mr. GRAHAM

I have always taken the view that, whatever opinions we have on the fiscal controversy, we should try to get complete statistics, but this would involve special machinery, and there are other difficulties which I dare not take time to describe. I am afraid that we must await the analysis by the committee.

Mr. O'CONNOR

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that before the Safeguarding Duty on lace was imposed the Post Office were able to give these figures at a Safeguarding Tribunal, showing that the figures can be obtained by means of a census?

Mr. GRAHAM

I should not think, offhand, that the position is quite as stated by the hon. and learned Member, but it may be. My present information is that it is practically impossible to give other than a very general statement regarding these particulars.

Mr. O'CONNOR

Will the right hon. Gentleman undertake to look into the question of the evidence given by the Post Office, and if it proved practicable on that occasion, will he re-instate that position?

Mr. GRAHAM

I can make no promise this afternoon, but I will certainly look into the point which the hon. and learned Member has raised.