§ 53. Mr. Chorltonasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will give a list of the colonies, with the quota for each, for their import of cotton goods; and whether this was fixed by the local government or by the Government at home?
Mr. M. MacDonaldAs the answer is rather long, I will, with my hon. Friend's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the answer:
§ Imports of foreign cotton textiles are regulated by quotas in all Colonial Dependencies except the Mandated Territories, the Dependencies in East Africa and one or two other Dependencies where there are special circumstances. In most Dependencies the quotas are based on the average annual imports of cotton piece goods during the five years, 1927–31, with a minimum quota for each foreign country of 2½ per cent. of the average annual imports of these goods from all sources during this basic period. The basic period for Somaliland, however, is 1931–33, and for Cyprus 1932–33, as there were no statistics available in these Dependencies for the general basic period, 1927–31.
§ In the four West African Dependencies, textile quotas were applied originally only to imports from Japan, which was granted a minimum quota, that is, 2½ per cent. of the average annual imports from all sources in the years 1927–31. In 943 Nigeria and the Gold Coast the quotas were extended to imports from all foreign countries with effect from 1st January, 1937. In the Gold Coast, owing to treaty obligations, British cotton piece goods are also subject to quota. In both the Gold Coast and Nigeria the quotas for countries other than Japan for the first quota period ending on 30th June, 1938, were based upon imports in the year 1935, and for the current quota period, which expires on 30th June next, the quotas for cotton piece goods are still based upon imports in that year, plus 50 per cent. in the case of Nigeria.
§ The textile quotas are fixed annually by the Governor of the Dependency concerned after a review of the trade of the past quota period and, save in exceptional circumstances, after consultation with the United Kingdom Government.