§ 12. Mr. ALAN TODDasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that the retained imports of articles wholly or mainly manufactured, but excluding non-ferrous metals and oils and fats, were over 20 per cent. higher in the first three months of 1934 as compared with the same period of 1933; and, in view of this, if he can state the policy of His Majesty's Government for dealing with this rapid growth of competitive manufactured imports?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI am aware of the fact to which my hon. Friend draws attention. As regards the second part of the question, I would refer to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Stroud (Mr. Perkins) on the 28th March.
§ 40. Mr. REMERasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that the retained imports of plate and sheet glass for the first quarter of 1933 were 235,400 cwts., and in the first quarter of 1934 449,339 cwts., an increase of 90.8 per cent.; and whether he will make the necessary inquiries and ascertain the reason for this importation?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI am aware of the figures to which my hon. Friend refers. I understand that the increase in imports is due in part to an improvement in demand and in part to a tendency this year for merchants to increase their stocks.
§ 41. Mr. REMERasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the retained imports of cotton piece-goods in the first quarter of 1934 amounted to 3,892,000 square yards as compared with 2,755,000 square yards in 127 the corresponding period of 1933, an increase of 41.2 per cent.; and whether, in view of the stress in which the cotton industry finds itself, he will indicate what measures he proposes to take in the interests of employment?
§ 44. Mr. HARTLANDasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that in the first quarter of 1934 the retained imports of cotton yarns amounted to 811,608 lbs., as compared with 419,092 lbs. in the corresponding quarter of 1933, an increase of 93.6 per cent.; and whether, in view of the difficulties which the spinning industry is at present experiencing, he will take steps to restrict the importation of cotton yarns of foreign origin?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI am aware of the increases in imports to which my hon. Friends refer. While it is open to the spinners and manufacturers concerned to apply to the Import Duties Advisory Committee with a view to increased duties upon these goods, I would point out that retained imports of cotton yarns and piece-goods in 1933 amounted respectively to about one-fifth and one-third of 1 per cent. of the 1930 production of similar goods in the United Kingdom.
§ 42. Mr. REMERasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that the retained imports of tissue paper during the period of January to March, 1934, are 92 per cent. higher than in the period January to March, 1933, having risen from 52,000 cwts. to 101,000 cwts.; and whether he will obtain the information as to the number of persons who have failed to find employment by reason of this increased importation from abroad?
§ 55 and 56. Mr. HARTLANDasked the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that the retained imports of woollen goods in the first three months of 1933 have increased from £379,118 to £598,284 in the first three months of 1934; and whether he will obtain information as to the effect upon employment in the woollen industry of this increased importation;
(2) whether he is aware that the retained imports of boots in the period January to March, 1934, amounted to 44,725 dozen pairs as compared with 128 25,951 dozen pairs, an increase of 72.3 per cent.; and if he will obtain information as to the effect of this increased importation upon employment in the boot and shoe industry?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI am aware of the figures of importation referred to by my hon. Friends, and while it is not possible to relate these figures directly with the statistics of unemployment, I am informed that the average number of insured persons unemployed declined in the first quarter of 1934 compared with the first quarter of 1933 by 2,169 in the paper and paper board industry, 20,387 in the woollen and worsted industry and by 2,071 in the boot and shoe industry.
§ Mr. REMERIn view of the disquieting figures of increased imports referred to in all these questions, can the right hon. Gentleman say whether he has any evidence of any kind of subsidy paid by foreign governments which would account for the increase?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANNo, Sir, I could not say without notice.
§ 43. Mr. TODDasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the retained imports of clocks in the first quarter of 1934 have risen by 22.4 per cent. over the imports for the corresponding period of 1933, and the imports of clock movements by 82.2 per cent. during a similar period; whether this increase is greater than was anticipated when the concession was made to the German industry in the recent trade agreement; and, if so, whether he will take steps to rectify the matter?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI am aware of the facts to which my hon. Friend draws attention. As regards the second and third parts of the question I would refer to the reply given to the hon. and gallant Member for Wycombe (Sir A. Knox) on 17th April.