§ 2. Mr. GRAHAM WHITEasked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs if any decisions have been made by the Canadian Tariff Board with regard to the commodities which it has been asked by His Majesty's Government to review under Article 13 of the Trade Agreement?
§ 3. Captain PETER MACDONALDasked the President of the Board of Trade what is the present position of the trade negotiations with the Argentine, Denmark, France, and Sweden?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. Runciman)The Commercial Agreement with the Argentine Republic was signed yesterday and copies 648 will be available to-day. The agreement with Denmark was laid before the House last week, but has not yet been ratified. No trade negotiations are in progress between the United Kingdom and France. The text of a, Commercial Agreement with Sweden is now being prepared with a view to signature at an early date.
§ Captain MACDONALDCan the right hon. Gentleman give the House an assurance that adequate time will be given for discussion of these agreements before they are ratified?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANThe usual procedure will be followed. Perhaps it would be better to address a question on the matter either to the Lord President of the Council or to the Prime Minister.
§ Mr. HANNONIs it quite clear that the right hon. Gentleman will see to it that the House gets a full opportunity of discussing these agreements before they are ratified?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI have no doubt that the House will take full advantage of the opportunities which are offered.
§ 4. Mr. REMERasked the President of the Board of Trade if it is his intention to follow the example of the Indian Government to denounce the present trade agreements between this country and Japan which prevent this country from dealing with the dumping of Japanese goods in this country, the Crown Colonies, and the Dominions?
§ 5. Mr. CHORLTONasked the President of the Board of Trade, in view of the action taken with regard to Japanese competition by India, if he will take steps to put similar arrangements into force in this country with a view to overcoming the serious effect on trade and employment?
§ 7. Mr. HALL-CAINEasked the President of the Board of Trade what precise recommendations have been made to him on behalf of the Japanese Government regarding Japanese trade competition in various parts of the British Empire; whether any negotiations have taken place; and what is the present position in regard to this matter?
§ 23. Mr. HAMILTON KERRasked the President of the Board of Trade if he can 649 now state if the Government have come to any decision with regard to Japanese competition in the cotton trade?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI have recently discussed with the Japanese Ambassador in London the question of Japanese competition with United Kingdom goods in the various markets of the world, and have asked him to put certain suggestions before his Government. I am not in a position to give the House any details today, but I hope to be able to make a statement in the near future.
§ Mr. REMERWill the right hon. Gentleman take into consideration, in the course of these negotiations, the various trade interests which are deeply concerned in this matter?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANYes, Sir, I shall certainly keep them in mind.
§ Mr. HANNONIs my right hon. Friend aware, in relation to this question and the answer he has given, that the Japanese Government have appointed an industrial commission to proceed, with practically all countries in the world, with the development of their trade, it may be in competition with the products of this country?
§ Mr. CHORLTONIs this really the best way to protect the interests in this country which have been so seriously assailed by Japanese competition? We want the trade back.
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI find it difficult to answer in detail the questions which have been put to me, but I am quite alive to the facts which have been stated by my hon. Friends, and we are doing the best we can to make arrangements which will safeguard us against future risks.
§ 8. Mr. HALL-CAINEasked the President of the Board of Trade whether during the trade negotiations with Norway and Sweden any proposals have been discussed for a reduction in the duty on paper imported from those countries; and whether the British paper industry or other bodies have been taken into consultation?
§ 17. Sir JOSEPH NALLasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will give an assurance that, during the course of the discussions with Swedish interests for the purpose of reducing the 650 duty on paper imported into this country, British manufacturers who have been afforded protection after inquiry by the Import Duties Advisory Committee shall be consulted before any decision is made?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANAs regards the proposed agreements with Norway and Sweden, I am unable at present to add to the statement I made on the 12th April. On the general question of consultation with particular interests in the United Kingdom in connection with these negotiations, I would refer the hon. Members to the statement which I made in Debate last night.
§ Mr. HALL-CAINEIn view of the fact that the trade organisations concerned asked permission to take a deputation to the Overseas Trade Department, and that the Department agreed to receive them, but that afterwards the arrangement was cancelled, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman if he can say why that happened?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI am afraid that that question would have to be put to my hon. and gallant Friend the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department.
§ Mr. HANNONArising out of the statement of the right hon. Gentleman yesterday and the answer he has given now, may I ask if he will take into consideration the propriety of consulting the trades concerned before he comes to a conclusion in relation to these agreements with foreign countries?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI do not think I can add in detail to anything that I said yesterday.
§ Sir J. NALLIn view of the fact that the Paper Duty was put on quite recently as the result of an inquiry, may I ask if the Import Duties Advisory Committee investigated what is the lowest limit to which it is advisable to reduce it?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI could not answer that question without notice.
Mr. LINDSAYWill the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind the special claims of the importers of paper which is used as a raw material for the paper bag-making industry?
§ Mr. HALL-CAINEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that, although the 651 greatest secrecy was observed in this country regarding these duties, they were well known in Scandinavia; and is it not very undignified for British traders that they should have to learn from Scandinavian sources what such duties are to be?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANWe tried to arrange, as far as we could, for simultaneous publication. If that has been infringed, it certainly has not been our fault.
§ 10. Colonel RUGGLES-BRISEasked the President of the Board of Trade the respective value of the trade between the United Kingdom and Denmark for the three years to the latest convenient date, and the estimate of the trade figures for a full year after the new Trade Agreement has come into force?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANThe desired information for each of the years 1930 to 1932 is given in the issue for January last of the "Accounts relating to Trade and Navigation of the United Kingdom." I cannot say what the corresponding figures will be next year, but in the view of the Government the agreement will lead to substantial advantages for our export trade.
§ Colonel RUGGLES-BRISEIn view of the fact that it is well known that Denmark has enjoyed a very favourable balance of trade with this country for many years, may I ask why it is that the right hon. Gentleman finds it necessary, in regard to bacon, to renounce the weapon of the tariff for a period of three years?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI am afraid I cannot debate the conditions of the AngloDanish Agreement at Question Time.
§ 15. Sir J. NALLasked the President of the Board of Trade why the Trade Agreement with Denmark, Cmd. 4298, does not provide for a British quota of Denmark's imports of cotton textile products; whether any request for such a quota was made by the British Government; and whether he is aware that opinion in Denmark anticipated the inclusion of cotton goods in any quota scheme?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANNo request has been made by His Majesty's Government for the imposition of quota restrictions by 652 the Danish Government on imports of cotton goods or any other class of goods into Denmark, as such restrictions would in the view of His Majesty's Government be disadvantageous to United Kingdom interests. The circumstances of the cotton textile trade are such that arrangements between trade organisations for increased purchases in this country, which it was possible to secure in certain other cases, could not in this case be made applicable.
§ 16. Sir J. NALLasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish a statement showing the rates of Customs duties proposed to be varied in the new trade agreements with other countries, together with the present rates of Customs duties?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI will arrange for the publication in the next issue of the Board of Trade Journal of statements showing the rates of Customs duties to be varied in accordance with the Commercial Agreement with Denmark and the Exchange of Notes with Germany. Changes in duties arising out of agreements with other countries will be published in the same way.
§ 20. Mr. ATTLEEasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement as to the progress being made in the negotiations now taking place between the British Government and the Government of Finland, with a view to making a trade agreement between the two countries?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANDetailed negotiations will be opened between the Government of the United Kingdom and the Government of Finland on 23rd May. Statements outlining the respective points of view of the two Governments have already been exchanged.
§ Mr. ATTLEEWill the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind, when negotiating with Finland, the extremely low wages paid in that country, particularly to textile workers?
§ 21. Mr. ATTLEEasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the low wages paid to Finnish seamen which adversely affect the interest of the British mercantile marine; and will he take this fact into consideration when negotiating a trade agreement with the representatives of Finland?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI am aware that the wages paid in the Finnish mercantile marine are, in general, lower than the wages paid in the British mercantile marine. In reply to the second part of the question, I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the answer I gave on 14th February to the hon. Member for Poplar South (Mr. D. Adams).
§ Mr. ATTLEEWill the right hon. Gentleman take advantage of those negotions to support the seamen workers in getting universally good wages?
§ Sir JOSEPH LAMBHas the right hon. Gentleman taken note of the fact that Members of the Opposition, while continually opposing the principle of Protection, are willing to take advantage of the benefits obtained by the application of the system?
§ 18. Mr. CHORLTONasked the President of the Board of Trade if there will be any supplementary agreement with Germany with respect to cotton yarn?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANThe question of the German duties on United Kingdom cotton yarns will be raised with the German Government when general negotiations are opened with them on trade matters.
§ Mr. CHORLTONMay I conclude that something is to be done to improve conditions in the cotton trade, either by quota or otherwise?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANIt will be certainly one of the topics we shall have to deal with and devote particular attention to in the general negotiations.
§ Mr. MARTINCan the right hon. Gentleman give any indication when such general negotiations with Germany will begin?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANIt is very difficult to say at present, but I think not until after the conclusion of the World Economic Conference.
§ 19. Mr. CHORLTONasked the President of the Board of Trade if there will be any supplementary agreement with Denmark with respect to cotton textile goods?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANNo supplementary agreement with Denmark with respect to cotton textile goods has been negotiated or is at present in contemplation.
§ Mr. CHORLTONIs it possible that some agreement may be made within a reasonable time?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI am not able to answer that question.
§ 25. Mr. HANNONasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will state the value of toys and articles of a type suitable for use on Christmas trees used solely for decorative purposes imported into this country from Germany in the years 1930, 1931 and 1932; and if he can state to what extent similar articles can now be produced in this country?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANThe total declared value of the imports of toys and games consigned from Germany and classed as not of rubber or leather and not electrical, and excluding billiard and bagatelle tables and accessories was £2,212,000, £1,869,000 and £775,000 during the years 1930, 1931 and 1932 respectively. The value of such goods produced in this country in 1930 was about £1,750,000. No later information is available. Similar information is not available in respect of articles of a type suitable for use on Christmas trees used solely for decorative purposes, as such particulars are not separately recorded in the trade returns of the United Kingdom, but it appears from the German trade returns that the exports of such articles to this country were valued at about £39,000 in 1930, £45,000 in 1931 and £25,000 in 1932.
§ Mr. HANNONIn view of the steady decrease in the figures relating to imports which the right hon. Gentleman has just given, why does he intervene to disturb the tariff which is protecting these industries?