HC Deb 02 July 1936 vol 314 cc612-3
60. Mr. GIBBINS

asked the President of the Board of Trade the amount of engineering and shipbuilding material imported from Germany since 1st January, 1936; and to what firms and districts was the material consigned?

The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. Runciman)

I assume that the hon. Member refers to goods consigned direct to a registered shipbuilding yard within the meaning of Section 11 of the Import Duties Act, 1932, or imported for use in the construction and repair of ships' boilers or propelling machinery under the conditions of Section 9 of the Finance Act, 1934. I regret that the desired information is not available, as particulars of the imports of such goods consigned from individual countries are not compiled.

Mr. GIBBINS

Is it not possible for the right hon. Gentleman to get this information from the shipbuilding firms? We know the material is coming in.

Mr. RUNCIMAN

I have already stated what are the difficulties in obtaining information.

Mr. H. G. WILLIAMS

Do I understand that we can give goods the great privilege of coming in duty free and keep no record?

Mr. RUNCIMAN

That would be a wrong assumption.

Mr. WILLIAMS

Then, if the record is kept, can we have the information?