§ 13. Mr. LOUIS SMITHasked the President of the Board of Trade if his attention has been called to the importation of gravestones into this country; whether he can state the country from which these gravestones come; and whether he is aware that correspondingly suitable stone can be obtained in this country at reasonable rates?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. Runciman)Gravestones are not separately recorded in the Trade Returns of the United Kingdom, but the main importation of monumental and 191 architectural granite is from Germany and Czechoslovakia, and of marble from Italy and Belgium. I am aware that granite and other stones suitable for monumental purposes are available in Great Britain.
§ Mr. SMITHMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he has not been able to include foreign gravestones in the classification of abnormal importations?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANThat will be considered along with other commodities.
§ Sir COOPER RAWSONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that in the district that he represents, Cornwall, there is ample material for all the gravestones required in this country?
§ 16. Sir A. KNOXasked the President of the Board of Trade, in view of the increased unemployment in the furniture trade, what action he proposes to take to check the import of foreign furniture?
§ 30. Mr. SUMMERSBYasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that increasing quantities of manufactured house furniture are being sent into this country, for instance, from Italy, where girl polishers are paid ¾d. per hour; and will he be prepared to put a tariff on foreign furniture to decrease unemployment in Shoreditch and elsewhere?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANAs my hon. Friends will be aware, certain metallic furniture is included in the Order of the 20th November last under the Abnormal Importations (Customs Duties) Act. The facts concerning other imports of furniture will also be reviewed in relation to that Act.
§ 18. Mr. HOLDSWORTHasked the President of the Board of Trade the quantity and value of woollen and worsted tissues imported from Poland during the first 10 months of this year; and if subsidies are being paid to Palish manufacturers by the Government of that country?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANDuring the first 10 months of 1931, the total imports of woollen and worsted tissues into the United Kingdom consigned from Poland (including Dantzig) amounted to 1,611,000 sq. yards, of a declared value of £188,000. Exporters of woollen and 192 worsted tissues from Poland receive a non-transferable certificate valued at about 3d. per pound on pure wool tissues and about 2d. per pound on mixed wool tissues, which is available for payment of Customs duties on articles of any kind imported by them. The intention of this system is stated to be to reimburse to the manufacturer the duties payable on his raw material.
§ 20. Mr. POTTERasked the President of the Board of Trade the quantity of fish landed into this country by Dutch, Danish, and German trawlers for the 12 months ended 30th September last; whether he can give the figures for the corresponding period of the previous year; and whether it is the intention of the Government to take any steps with the view to protecting the interests of the British fishing industry?
The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. HoreBelisha)The total weight of fish, of all kinds from deep sea fisheries brought in to the United Kingdom by Dutch, Danish and German boats during the 12 months ended 30th September, 1031, was 14,000 cwts., 113,000 cwts., and?99,000 cwts., respectively, compared with 18,000 cwts., 85,000 cwts., and 1,006,000 cwts., respectively, during the 12 months ended 30th September, 1930. As regards the second part of the question I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries on the lath November to my hon. Friend the Member for South-West Hull (Mr. Law).
§ 22. Brigadier-General CLIFTON BROWNasked the President of the Board of Trade what was the total money value and the average price of offals imported into this country in October, 1931, the similar value and average price of the same in October, 1930, and from what countries do they come?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANAs the answer involves a number of figures, I will circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. RUNCIMANIf the hon. and gallant Member will wait and see the figures, I will then discuss them with him.
§ Following is the answer:
| The following table shows, in respect of the undermentioned cereal by-products, the total declared value and the average declared import value (c.i.f.) of the imports into the United Kingdom registered during the month of October, 1930 and 1931, together with the principal countries whence these imports were consigned. | |||||||||
| Description. | October, 1930. | October, 1931. | Principal countries whence consigned. | ||||||
| Declared Value. | Average Declared Value per ton. | Declared Value | Average Declared Value per ton. | ||||||
| Cereal by-products: | £ | £ | s. | d. | £ | £ | s. | d. | |
| Bran and pollard | 36,191 | 4 | 8 | 2 | 117,131 | 3 | 19 | 8 | Argentine Republic, Australia, Netherlands. |
| Sharps and Middlings. | 35,161 | 4 | 18 | 11 | 64,327 | 4 | 19 | 4 | Argentine Republic, France, Netherlands, Australia. |
| Rice meal and dust | 82,937 | 4 | 10 | 9 | 74,853 | 3 | 11 | 0 | British India. |
| Other sorts | 1,413 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 1,074 | 2 | 4 | 10 | Irish Free State, France. |
§ 28. Major LEIGHTONasked the President of the Board of Trade whether any liquid milk, either pasteurised or otherwise apart from tinned milk, is being now, or has been during the last year, imported into this country, and, if so, how much?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAThe only fresh liquid milk imported into the United Kingdom comes from the Irish Free State, and the, bulk of this passes over the land boundary into Northern Ireland. During the first 10 months of this year 38,403 cwts. of fresh milk were so imported. In addition, 3,174 cwts. of unsweetened preserved milk (other than condensed and powdered milk) were imported into the United Kingdom.
§ 29. Mr. de ROTHSCHILDasked the President of the Board of Trade in. what quantities the under-mentioned products have been imported into this country since 1st January, 1931, and the value of this year's total importation of each: cut flowers, bulbs, and pot plants?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANDuring the first 10 months of 1931 the total imports into the United Kingdom of fresh flowers, which are recorded by value only, were of a, declared value of £927,500, while the Imports of bulbs amounted to 525 million, valued at £1,312,600. Imports of pot plants are not separately distinguished in the trade returns.
§ Mr. de ROTHSCHILDAre these imports classified as luxury imports or as necessaries?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANThat is a matter of opinion. I have no doubt the producers think that they are necessaries.
§ Mr. de ROTHSCHILDHow do the Board of Trade classify them?
31. Sir NAIRNE STEWART SANDEMANasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can state the quantity of paper-machine wire which was imported into this country during the first 10 months of 1930 and during the same period of 1931; and whether there has been any sign of abnormal imports during the last six months?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI regret that I am not in a position to give the hon. Member the information which he desires, as the imports of paper-machine wire are not separately recorded in the trade returns of the United Kingdom.
Sir N. STEWART SANDEMANCan the information be got from any source which is open to the right hon. Gentleman?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI will make inquiries to see whether it can be obtained.
§ 41. Captain PETER MACDONALDasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to cases of abnormal imports under 195 Class II of the Board of Trade returns; and, if so, what action he proposes to take in the matter?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANThe answer to the first part of the question is in the negative and the second part therefore does not arise.
§ Captain MACDONALDIs it the intention of the right hon. Gentleman to introduce legislation dealing with the subject mentioned in the last part of the question?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI cannot make any statement on that question at present.
42. Lieut.-Colonel MOOREasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the extent to which dumping of goods from Germany, France and Czechoslovakia is affecting worsted factories in Scotland; and whether the amount of such imports will be taken into immediate account with a view to action under the Abnormal Importations (Customs Duties) Act?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANAs my hon. and gallant Friend will see from the Schedule of the Order which was made on Friday last, the provisions of the Abnormal Importations (Customs Duties) Act have been applied to imports of woollen and worsted tissues.