§ 15 and 16. Mr. CHORLTONasked the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether, in order to encourage new industries and increase employment, he is prepared to make direct application to the Imports Advisory Committee for an import duty on selected manufactures, as the present method cannot function in cases where no combined industry exists to make application;
(2) whether he is prepared, when the rise in imports indicates and employment is affected, to make application direct to the Imports Advisory Committee without waiting for a combined application from the trade nearest affected, which may not be large and well-organised enough to readily make such application?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANUnder the Import Duties Act any recommendations regarding import duties that may be made by the Import Duties Advisory Committee, fall to be considered by the Treasury in consultation with the Board of Trade and, in certain cases, with other Government Departments. In these circumstances it would not be appropriate for me to make representations to the Committee with a view to their recommending additional duties. My hon. Friend is, however, mistaken in supposing that the Committee cannot, if necessary, initiate action without waiting for an application. Moreover, it is open to any manufacturer or trader to make representations to the Committee, who are always ready to give all the help they can in the preparation and presentation of cases.
§ Mr. LYONSCan my right hon. Friend say whether the committee has, in fact, ever acted on its own initiative?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI cannot say without notice.
§ Lieut. - Colonel ACLAND -TROYTEHas my right hon. Friend ever recommended a reduction of duty to the Advisory Committee?