§ 26. Mr. Dribergasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that Messrs. Gamage of London are offering for sale electric washing machines, made in the United States of America, at £49 10s. each; how many such articles have been imported under licence at a 1500 cost of how many dollars; and why this expenditure of dollars was authorised.
§ Mr. H. WilsonYes, Sir. Licences have been granted during the last four years for the import from the United States of 735 domestic electrically-operated washing machines, for sale on the home market, at a total cost of 69,000 dollars c.i.f. The machines are imported under the token import arrangements of which the House is aware.
§ Mr. DribergWhile appreciating the point about token arrangements, may I ask my right hon. Friend how many such token imports there are, and do they not add up to quite a substantial sum altogether?
§ Mr. WilsonYes, Sir. It is difficult to justify any one of these individual imports. If my hon. Friend will put down a question about the token import system generally, I shall be glad to give him an answer.
§ Mr. BeswickDoes the whole of the token import go to one firm, and whose responsibility is it to make application for the token import?
§ Mr. WilsonI shall be glad if my hon. Friend will put that question down.
§ Mr. Skeffington-LodgeIs there not a risk that our own manufacturers might ultimately be adversely affected by reason of these token imports being allowed to continue?
§ Mr. WilsonNo, Sir. I do not think it is having that effect at all.