§ 11. Sir WILLIAM DAVISONasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to orders which have just been issued by the executive council of the Irish Free State whereby a duty of 22 per cent. has been placed on spades, shovels, boots, shoes, sandals, etc., entering the Irish Free State from this country or other Empire sources; whether any negotiations took place between the Irish Free State executive and the Board of Trade prior to the imposition of such duties; and what action it is proposed to take in the matter?
§ Mr. JOHN COLVILLE (Secretary, Overseas Trade Department)Full details of these duties were published in the issue of the Board of Trade Journal for 28th April. No negotiations of the kind suggested have taken place.
§ Sir W. DAVISONCan the hon. Gentleman say whether any other Dominions have put import duties on goods from this country, since the Government announced that all the Dominions would be excluded from the new tariffs recently imposed by the Government?
§ Mr. COLVILLEI should require notice of that question.
§ Major-General Sir ALFRED KNOXAre the Government going to take no action in this matter?
§ Mr. COLVILLEI have answered on the question of fact, and if the hon. and gallant Member wishes to raise the question of policy, he must address his question to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Dominions.
§ Sir W. DAVISONI have already asked whether the Government are taking any action or making any representations.