§ 17 and 18. Mr. HANNONasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether he is aware that His Majesty's Customs decline to admit, at the preferential rate of duty, Empire goods when imported on an optional bill of lading after transhipment at a foreign port, while admitting at the same time at the preferential rate similar goods carried on a through 1278 bill of lading and transhipped at a foreign port on exactly similar conditions; and if he will indicate on what grounds this action on the part of the Customs Department is based;
(2) if he is aware that the facilities afforded by an optional bill of lading are essential to certain trades the ultimate destination of whose goods may not be determined until after shipment; and if, to secure that certain Empire goods may not be penalised against others, the Treasury will direct, provided the goods have not entered into the commerce of a foreign country and been reconsigned, that no distinction as far as concerns Imperial preference shall be made by His Majesty's Customs between Empire shipments on optional and through bills of lading?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. Hore-Belisha)I am aware that in certain trades it is found convenient to ship goods on optional bills of lading, and that it is the practice of the Customs Department to refuse admission to preference in cases where Empire goods so shipped are brought to this country after transhipment at a foreign port. This practice is based on the statutory condition that Empire goods claiming preference must be shown to the satisfaction of the Customs to have been consigned to this country from a part of the British Empire. Goods shipped on optional bills of lading and arriving in this country after transhipment at a foreign port cannot be regarded as fulfilling this condition, and such goods are in consequence not entitled to preference under the existing law. It would be impracticable for the Customs authorities to satisfy themselves in such cases that the goods had not entered into the commerce of a foreign country and been reconsigned, and I regret that in the circumstances I am unable to authorise the procedure which my hon. Friend suggests.
§ Mr. HANNONIf it can he shown to my hon. Friend that there is really some substance in the complaints which are put forward in my question, will he discuss the matter with a small deputation and, if necessary, subsequently make a slight amendment in the law?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAI should be only too glad to meet my hon. Friend 1279 on this point, but, of course, he will realise that this has been the practice and the condition of the law ever since preference was instituted.