§ 1. Captain PETER MACDONALDasked the President of the Board of Trade whether the proposes to take steps to obtain regular statistics to show the effect of duties imposed under the Abnormal Importations (Customs Duties) Act on employment, wages, production, and the price of gods in each of the industries concerned?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. Runciman)Having regard to the temporary nature of the Abnormal Importations (Customs Duties) Act, I have not thought it necessary to take measures for the systematic collection of statistics of the kinds to which my hon. and gallant Friend refers.
§ Mr. MAXTONDid not the right hon. Gentleman, before the Recess, promise that as soon as there were any facts on this matter he would publish them?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANSuch facts as are relevant to this matter have already been made public in the discussion which took place in the House on the confirmation of the Orders.
§ 35. Mr. DENMANasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the amount of duty levied under the Abnormal Importations Orders up to the last convenient date?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Major Elliot)The approximate amount of revenue received from the duties imposed under the Abnormal Importations (Customs Duties) Act, 1931, up to the 31st December, 1931, was £290,000.
§ Mr. MAXTONCan the right hon. and gallant Gentleman tell me how much of that revenue is offset by additional expense of collection?
§ Major ELLIOTI understand from the Board of Trade, none at all.
§ Mr. MAXTONThat is not what I want, because I gather that future tariff developments will cost us a considerable addition in expensive staff. Do I under- 4 stand that the present additional duties imposed upon the Customs in collecting abnormal importation duties have been nil?
§ Major ELLIOTCertainly, I should require notice of that question, but I understand that no additional expense whatever in the way of staff has been incurred in the collection of those duties.
§ Mr. MAXTONDoes that mean that the fellows are working overtime? [Laughter.] It is not a matter for laughter. I want to ask the right hon. and gallant Gentleman if the Customs staff previously had such an easy time of it that they were able to add on all the additional duties that must have been imposed without any additional staff or any extra hours being worked?
§ Major ELLIOTI think the hon. Gentleman will realise that that is rather a far-reaching supplementary question, and that I should certainly require notice of it.
§ Sir JOSEPH NALLIs it not a fact that the process of clearing goods through the Customs is precisely the same now as it was when no duties were charged at all, the only difference being that a cheque or cash has to be paid where duty is charged?