HC Deb 09 February 1932 vol 261 cc636-7
9. Mrs. COPELAND

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will take steps to include transfers for ceramics under some form of tariff?

14. Major BEAUMONT THOMAS

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will take steps to protect the brush-making industry by putting a duty on imported brushware?

Mr. HORE-BELISHA

I would refer hon. Members to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the 4th February and to the Resolutions now under consideration in Committee.

15. Captain WATT

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many hundredweights of tomato pulp were imported into this country during each of the last five years; and what proportion of this quantity was of Empire origin?

Mr. HORE-BELISHA

Precise information regarding the imports of tomato

The following table shows the total quantity of the undermentioned descriptions of preserved tomatoes (including tomato pulp) imported into the United Kingdom during each of the years 1927 to 1931, distinguishing the Imports consigned from British countries.
Description. 1927. 1928. 1929. 1930. 1931(a).
Cwts. Cwts. Cwts. Cwts. Cwts.
Tomatoes preserved by canning or bottling, with no sweetening matter:
Total Imports 623,745 649,279 761,924 646,675 See below.
of which consigned from British countries. 931 2,088 2,045 4,386
Tomatoes preserved by canning, with no sweetening matter:
Total Imports Included above 800,587
of which consigned from British countries. 6,068
(a) Provisional figures.
17. Mr. DONNER

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the quantity of soap of all kinds imported into the United Kingdom and registered as consigned from the Soviet Union amounted in 1929 to 20 cwts., but in 1930 and the first 10 months of 1931 to 34,365 cwts. and 28,540 cwts. respectively; and whether he will consider the limitation of such abnormal importations as have taken place during the last two years?

Mr. HORE-BELISHA

If my hon. Friend is thinking of action under the Abnormal Importations (Customs Duties) Act, I would remind him that my right hon. Friend has no power to impose duties on goods from particular countries.