§ 5. Mr. Fletcher-Cookeasked the President of the Board of Trade what quotas, tariffs or other defences are imposed by the United Kingdom against rayon, rayon goods or other man-made fibres coming from India or Hong Kong.
§ Mr. P. ThorneycroftImports of Indian or Hong Kong goods containing rayon or other man-made fibres are, in general, liable to duty at five-sixths of the full rates of the silk and artificial silk duties. No quotas or other restrictions are imposed on these imports.
§ Mr. Fletcher-CookeAs there is a tariff on Indian and Hong Kong rayon textiles, why is it that whenever we ask for protection for cotton goods we are told that it will provoke an unprecedented breach in the principle of free imports for Empire goods into this country?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftBecause these silk and rayon duties were Revenue duties, which are in the same category as the McKenna duties. If my hon. Friend would like to discuss the historical origin of these duties with me, I shall be happy to do so at any time.