HC Deb 19 July 1934 vol 292 cc1256-8
47. Sir BASIL PETO

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that sporting cartridge cases are being imported into this country unmarked, subsequently stamped with a fictitious name and address purporting to be that of a British firm, and the sporting ammunition in these cases when exported actually receives the drawback as being British products; what reply has been given to the application under the Merchandise Marks Act for the universal marking of all imported foreign cartridge cases with the country of origin; and what steps he proposes to take to stop this evasion of the Merchandise Marks Act?

The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of TRADE (Dr. Burgin)

I am aware that sporting cartridge cases are being imported unmarked and that, after loading, the cartridges are sold bearing the names of British firms; but my attention has not been called to any case in which the name is fictitious. There is no reason to suppose that a drawback of duty is allowed otherwise than in accordance with the appropriate Treasury Order. For reasons which have been explained in answers to previous questions on this subject the application which has been made for a Marking Order is not one which the Board of Trade are able to refer to the Merchandise Marks Committee.

Sir B. PETO

May I ask how, in the absence of an Order being made under the Merchandise Marks Act, the public in this country who wish to buy British sporting cartridges can possibly know whether, if they are buying cartridges loaded by any of the firms controlled by the Imperial Chemical Industries Company, those cartridges are in cases which have come from foreign countries?

Dr. BURGIN

Any member of the British public who desires to buy British cartridges can specify the name of the proprietary article he desires to buy.

Sir B. PETO

How is the British purchaser to know, even when he takes that precaution, in view of the present state of the trade in these foreign imported cartridge cases, that he will get a cartridge which is British right through, even to the case?

Mr. H. WILLIAMS

As the sale of a foreign article bearing the name of a British trader is an offence under the existing law, under the last Merchandise Marks Act, will the Board of Trade institute a prosecution, as they have the power to do?

Dr. BURGIN

I think my hon. Friend is under a misapprehension. The article imported from abroad, if I understand the matter aright, is the blank cartridge case. That cartridge case is then filled in this country with the ammunition, wads, and so on. A very large percentage of the value of the finished article is thus British, and the name of the manufacturer put on the finished article is not put on the article imported from abroad at all. [HON. MEMBERS: "It is."] Will hon. Members allow me first to finish my sentence? I am advised that the putting by the manufacturer of the name on a filled cartridge is not the application of the word "British" to an imported foreign article, and in this connection it is quite impossible to treat cartridge cases on any different footing from any other material which goes to make up a finished article. There is a regular procedure under the Merchandise Marks Act, and unless that procedure is followed in connection with cartridge blanks it is not possible for the Board of Trade to intervene?

Sir B. PETO

Is the hon. Gentleman not aware that the cap on the case is included in the cartridge case?