§ 48. Mr. Keelingasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many forms have to be filled up in respect of an article of British manufacture sent from abroad for repair; what deposit has to be made before the Customs release the article on arrival; what sum is annually received from such deposits; and whether, in the interests of trade, he will simplify the procedure.
§ Sir S. CrippsBritish goods returned from abroad for repair are normally admissible free of Customs charges on production of a form known as a bill of store, and a form of Customs entry, together with a form of declaration for Purchase Tax purposes where this liability arises. Security by bond or deposit, sufficient to cover the potential Customs charges, is required to secure immediate release in the absence of clear title to free admission, but no separate record is maintained of such deposits. It is certainly the intention that the control procedure, which generally works smoothly, should be the minimum necessary to safeguard the risk to the Revenue, and the question of further reducing the documentation where practicable is borne in mind by the Customs, who are willing to afford all possible assistance to any individual trader encountering difficulties
§ Mr. KeelingIs the Chancellor aware that some firms who do repairs have given up accepting articles for repair from abroad because of the vexatious difficulties and formalities, and would he consider accepting from approved firms a floating bond to pay the duty on all articles not re-exported.
§ Sir S. CrippsWe are not aware of any difficulties for people who are accustomed as a matter of business to receive such repairs. It seems to work perfectly smoothly, and we have no complaints of any kind. It is only people who occasionally get articles under this category and who are not experienced in the accustomed procedure who have had some difficulties, and those are helped to the maximum extent by the Customs authorities.
§ Mr. Joynson-HicksCan the right hon. and learned Gentleman go further into this matter, because he does not seem to be seized of a full knowledge of the difficulties which do exist, and is he aware that if he applied his mind to re-drafting the formalities and requirements he could evolve a far more simple system than is in operation at the present time?
§ Sir S. CrippsIf the hon. Gentleman would let me have a list of the difficulties which exist and of which I am not aware, will certainly look into the matter.
§ Mr. KeelingIs the right hon and learned Gentleman aware that the particular article in this case was a guitar, and is the policy of the Government expressed in the words of the old song, " Take your guitar and git aht of it "?
§ Sir S. CrippsI was not aware that it was a guitar.