§ 13. Mr. HANNONasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will have a statement prepared, before the reassembly of Parliament, for the information of the House, of the imports, in volumes and values, of commodities which come into this country and the free admission of which lowers the standard of life of wage earners in Great Britain?
§ Mr. W. GRAHAMIt cannot be admitted that the absence of import duties on goods consumed by the wage-earners in this country lowers their standard of living. The hon. Member will, however, find ample statistics of imports in the Statistical Tables relating to British and Foreign Trade and Industry (1924 to 1930) presented to Parliament in December and April last, as well as in the annual statement of the Trade of the United Kingdom and the Monthly Trade and Navigation Accounts.
§ Mr. HANNONDocs the right hon. Gentleman seriously tell the House that these commodities are imported into this country at costs of production with which we cannot compete?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat hardly arises out of the question.
§ Mr. HANNONWill the right hon. Gentleman take steps to indicate to the people of this country that these imports are really preventing the standard of life being maintained?