§ 28. Vice-Admiral TAYLORasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will take steps to bring about a Customs union between this country and the Crown Colonies?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERIf, as I assume, my hon. and gallant Friend means by a Customs union that identical rates of Customs Duties should be levied in the United Kingdom and in every Colony and Protectorate that would be quite impracticable.
§ Vice-Admiral TAYLORIs the right hon. Gentleman not aware that it is the policy of the Government to increase our export trade and to diminish or eliminate tariffs, and will he not exercise his power in regard to the Crown Colonies in that direction and carry out that policy, in order to get our goods into the Crown Colonies without any tariff?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERCertainly not. The thing which matters to the British manufacturer in regard to the entry of his goods into the markets of the Crown Colonies, is not so much the absence or the presence of a duty on British goods but the margin of preference which he enjoys over other goods. If I were to follow the advice of my hon. and gallant Friend, the only result would be that, without the least benefit to any British manufacturer, every Colony would come on the dole and become a charge to the British Exchequer.