§ 18. Mr. Louis Smithasked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the urgent need of creating employment and of the prejudicial effect on British industry of the continued free import of material needed for shipbuilding and that this branch of industry does not any longer require this assistance, he will, in the coming Finance Bill, consider the repeal of Section 11 of the Import Duties Act, 1932?
Mr. StanleyI have nothing to add to the answer given to a similar question by my hon. Friend on 6th May last.
§ Mr. SmithIs my right hon. Friend aware that many trades, and particularly the industries which manufacture the smaller size of Diesel engines, are very severely handicapped by this Section, which is out of date now; and would he be prepared to receive a deputation from the trades concerned in this matter?
Mr. StanleyI certainly cannot agree that the Section is out of date, nor can I agree with the view that my hon. Friend takes in his question as to the present state of the shipbuilding industry. I think it would be a great mistake to do anything at the moment to hamper the shipbuilding industry.