§ 69. Mr. T. Williamsasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how many store cattle were imported from Ireland on which duty was paid between 1st January and the commencement of the recent agreement, and the average duty per cwt. paid?
§ Captain WallaceAs the answer involves a table of figures I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. WilliamsCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether this duty was paid by the Government of Southern Ireland or was it paid by British farmers?
§ Captain WallaceI am afraid that that is a different question.
§ Following is the answer:
§ The revenue accounts do not distinguish store cattle as such. The number of cattle classified as "other than fat— for food," and of calves, imported from Eire and duty paid at each tariff rating from 1st January, 1938, to 30th April, 1938, the latest date to which information is available, was as follows:
| Description. | Rate of duty. | Number. |
| Live cattle: | ||
| (a) Under six months old. | £1 per head. | 372 |
| (b) 6 months old but under 15 months old. | 2per head. | 59,104 |
| (c) 15 months old but under 2 years old. | £3 per head. | 45,531 |
| (d) 2 years old and upwards, not being cattle known as mincers. | £4 5s. 0d. per head. | 24,982 |
| (e) 2 years old and upwards, being cattle known as mincers. | £1 per head. | 5,793 |
| Duties at the maximum of 100 per cent, ad valorem. | 100 per cent, ad valorem. | 64 |
§ I regret that it is not possible to give the average duty per cwt., as the weight of cattle is not recorded.