§ 30. Mr. HERBERT WILLIAMSasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that the retained imports of 1139 machinery in the last 11 months amounted to £9,657,000; and, as approximately 80 per cent. of this total belongs to classes which the Import Duties Advisory Committee has decided can be produced efficiently in the United Kingdom, if he will state what steps he proposes to take to secure for British workpeople the employment represented by the unnecessary importation of approximately £7,750,000 worth of machinery?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANThe procedure for duty free importation under licence does not apply to every class of machinery. In many cases, therefore, the question whether a particular consignment of machinery is of a kind procurable in the United Kingdom has not been before the Import Duties Advisory Committee. Accordingly it cannot be assumed that all the retained imports of foreign machinery could be procured in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. WILLIAMSDoes my right hon. Friend endorse the statement of his Parliamentary colleague that all this importation is necessary on the ground that this machinery cannot be manufactured in this country?
§ Sir FRANK SANDERSONIs my right hon. Friend aware that the linseed crushing industry in this country has been brought to a state of ruin owing to the low import duty on linseed oil, and the imposition of a tax on linseed from the Argentine?