§ 9. Mr. Lyonsasked the President of the Board of Trade the quantities of hose, stockings and knitted underwear imported into this country from Japan for the year 1937; and whether he can approximate the employment that would have been provided for the British hosiery industry by the manufacture of those goods in this country?
Mr. StanleyWith my hon. and learned Friend's permission, I will circulate particulars of the imports in the OFFICIAL REPORT. As regards the second part of the question, I regret that, as has been previously explained to my hon. and 817 learned Friend, owing to the number of unknown factors I cannot give an estimate.
§ Mr. LyonsCan my right hon. Friend say whether this is a matter that has been considered by the Import Duties Advisory Committee on their own initiative, as they have power to do under the Act?
§ Mr. WatkinsAre these goods which are imported from Japan always marked with the country of origin, or are they sometimes marked with the word "Foreign"?
§ Mr. George GriffithsWho buys this stuff from Japan before it is sold in this country?
§ Following are the particulars:
§ Table showing the quantity of certain descriptions of hosiery imported into the United Kingdom, and registered during the year 1937 as consigned from Japan (including Formosa).
| Description. | Quantity Dozen pairs. |
| Knitted, netted or crocheted goods (hosiery)— | |
| Stockings and hose— | |
| Of cotton, or of which the chief value is cotton | 1,006,543 |
| Of wool, or of which the chief value is wool | 6,075 |
| Of silk, or of which the chief value is silk | 6,670 |
| Of artificial silk, or of which the chief value is artificial silk | 856 |
| Underwear (including knitted, etc., shirts) not elsewhere specified in Import List— | Dozens. |
| Of cotton, or of which the chief value is cotton | 467,031 |
| Of wool, or of which the chief value is wool | 1,240 |
| Of other knitted, netted or crocheted material | 766 |
§ Note.—The above figures are provisional.