§ 54. Sir W. Smilesasked the President of the Board of Trade whether there is any difference in the amount of import duty on cotton piece goods from Lancashire imported into the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan and into Egypt; and whether he has any information as to the reasons for the disappointing Lancashire trade to the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan as compared with Egypt?
§ Captain Euan Wallace (Secretary, Overseas Trade Department)The duties levied in Egypt and the Sudan are not on a comparable basis, but the Anglo-Egyptian Agreement of 1899 provides that the import duties on United Kingdom goods must not be higher in the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan than in Egypt. The trade statistics show that the bulk of the cotton piece goods imported into the Sudan is of Japanese origin.
§ Sir W. SmilesHave any steps been taken to improve the export of cotton goods from Lancashire into the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan?
§ Captain WallaceThe whole question is surrounded by many complications which it would be difficult to discuss at the moment, but I should be very glad to talk to my hon. Friend about it.