§ 56. Mr. MALLALIEUasked the President of the Board of Trade, in the cases where trade agreements have been made, on how many specific articles the duties now levied on British exports to these countries are lower than in 1930 and in how many cases the duties are higher than in that year?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANThe headings and sub-headings in the tariffs of the countries with which trade agreements have been made run into thousands. The labour involved in making the comparisons of the rates of duty in 1930 and at present on particular articles could not be justified, especially as no useful conclusions could be drawn from such comparisons, which would ignore the volume of trade covered by each heading.
§ Mr. MALLALIEUWould not the figures show whether trade agreements have been successful in reducing duties?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANYes, I think they would almost certainly do that.
§ Mr. MALLALIEUWould not that be useful?
§ Mr. MACLAYIf the future policy of the Government to increase world trade is to be one of tariff bargaining, will the right hon. Gentleman consider the possibility of throwing out some warning to those industries which are likely to be made the bargaining counters in this policy?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANThat is a different question to the one on the Order Paper, and I should like to have notice of it.
§ Lieut.-Colonel ACLAND-TROYTEIs not agriculture always used as a bargaining counter, and has it not suffered in conseqence?