§ 22. Mr. Ramsdenasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will repeal the 10 per cent. import duty on foreign raw goatskins.
§ Sir D. EcclesAn application from the British Kid Tanners' Association for the removal of this duty is at present under consideration. The preference is guaranteed to certain Commonwealth countries and Colonial producers also have a strong interest. The matter is therefore by no means a simple one.
§ Mr. RamsdenWould my right hon. Friend agree that the effect of this duty is to reduce supplies of suitable raw materials available for the British kid tanners, and whilst nobody on any side of the House wants to do away with preferences, would he try to reach a decision as quickly as possible?
§ Sir D. EcclesThe object of Imperial Preference is to give some help to producers in the Commonwealth. If we were to do away with it we might get slightly more supplies, but we should injure Commonwealth supplies.
§ 24. Mr. Ramsdenasked the President of the Board of Trade what percentage of the raw goatskins exported from Commonwealth countries went to the United Kingdom and other importing countries, respectively, during the years 1929–31 and during the latest three-year period for which records are available.
§ Sir D. EcclesIn 1929–31, 19 per cent. of Commonwealth countries' exports of raw goatskins went to the United Kingdom and 81 per cent. to other countries; in 1954–56, the latest three-year period for which figures are available, the percentages were 21 and 79.
§ Mr. RamsdenIs not the constant pattern in these figures, both before and after the institution of the preference, an indication that it is serving little useful purpose? Do not other countries which are interested in the import of this raw material allow it duty-free entry anyway?
§ Sir D. EcclesWe could not get rid of this preference unless the Commonwealth suppliers agreed. It is because we have to consult them on a matter like this that it has taken some time to consider the application.