§ 11. Mr. REMERasked the President of the Board of Trade what are the difficulties referred to in his reply to the joint industrial council for the silk industry which prevents him establishing a quota for Japanese silk imports in the same way as quotas have been established for the cotton imports into the Colonies?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANThere are no statutory powers authorising the imposition of a quota on imports into the United Kingdom of silk manufactures. Any question of obtaining and using such powers would involve consideration of our treaty obligations and the reactions on our trade interests in other directions.
§ Mr. REMERIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that every foreign country except Japan would welcome such a proposal as far as the silk industry is concerned?