§ The Secretary of State for India (Mr. Amery)I beg to move,
That an humble Address be presented to His Majesty in pursuance of the provisions of Section 309 of the Government of India Act, 1935. praying that the Government of India (Adaptation of Acts of Parliament) (Amendment No. 2) Order, 1941, be made in the form of the draft laid before Parliament.The object of the Motion is to prolong for another 12 months the exemption of Burma from duties under the Import Duties Act, 1932, pending the conclusion of a trade agreement between Burma and this country. Originally, that exemption came to an end in March, 1938, but in view of the very close relation of Indian and Burman trade, it was prolonged in order to get out of the way first the conclusion of a trade agreement between this country and India. That took us to the end of 1939. Subsequently the war and the natural preoccupations of the Board 572 of Trade, as well as the negotiations for the conclusion of a trade agreement between India and Burma, caused further prolongation of the exemption. The trade agreement between India and Burma was concluded last April, but since then the whole trade situation has become so completely modified by an extension of every kind of export quota, licensing and other controls, and by the diversion of labour here in export industries to war production, that the Board of Trade have come to the conclusion that no trade agreement of any value could be settled in the present situation. The Government of Burma have agreed with that conclusion, and, therefore, I would ask the House to pass this Motion. In the ordinary course, where motions of this sort involve issues of any possible controversy, the Debate is adjourned and the Draft Order considered after another place has had an opportunity of discussing the Motion. The present Order and the next one are purely technical and raise no issues of controversy. The Burma Motion has to take effect before the end of the month, so that I trust the House will be prepared to pass it now.
§ Mr. Ammon (Camberwell, North)I suppose it is correct to say that this Motion raises no new principle?
§ Question put, and agreed to.
§ To be presented by Privy Councillors or Members of His Majesty's Household.