§ 15. Captain DOWERasked the President of the Board of Trade if he can now state what has been the result of the representations made by him to the French Government with regard to tariff discrimination against this country as compared with Belgium so far as importation into France of hat leathers is concerned?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANA Bill has been introduced in the French Legislature to give the French Government power in certain circumstances to reduce the import turnover taxes on foreign goods to their former level. This would, I understand, enable the French Government to reduce the import taxes on United Kingdom goods to 2 per cent.—the rate at present applicable to Belgian goods.
§ 18. Mr. O'CONNORasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has yet received any reply from the French Government to his representations on the subject of the French discriminatory surtax of 15 per cent. levied on British imports into France; and what is the nature of the reply, if any?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI have at present nothing to add to my replies to previous questions on this subject, but the matter is being pursued.
§ Mr. O'CONNORIn view of the recognition that the present treatment by France of this country is incompatible with the most-favoured-nation treatment, will the right hon. Gentleman consider using his powers under the Import Duties Act by way of retaliation;
§ Mr. RUNCIMANWe have considered what has been done and the necessary representations have been made, and I hope that they may be fruitful.
§ Mr. O'CONNORWill the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that it is now a considerable time since those representations were made and that apparently France has done nothing at all?
§ Mr. H. WILLIAMSAs we have no most-favoured-nation treaty with France are we not free to discriminate against them?
§ Sir PERCY HARRISIs not the inevitable result of the Government's tariff policy that retaliation leads to retaliation?