§ Mr. R. McNEILLasked the President of the Board of Trade if he can yet say who were the consignees of the hops imported in 1915 from the part of Belgium in enemy occupation; whether a licence was granted to the consignee for such import; and what special circumstances existed to justify such a licence being granted?
Mr. RUNCIMANI am informed that, whilst Messrs. Gaskain and Company took delivery of the hops for storage, they were actually consigned to Miss Bruydonckx and imported under her licence. Licences to import Belgian goods are issued on2410W conditions which secure that the money paid for these goods remains in the United Kingdom and there were no special circumstances in this particular case.
§ Mr. McNEILLasked how many licences have been granted since the beginning of the War for the importation of hops from enemy countries or from territory in enemy occupation; who were the licensees, and for what quantities were such licences granted; who were the consignors in each case; who were, in each case, the dealers or agents who negotiated the purchases; was the granting of such licences owing to any shortage of hops in this country, or for what other reason were the licences in each case granted; were any, and what, terms attached to the licences so granted; and was the application for such licences, or any of them, supported by any persons other than the actual applicants?
Mr. RUNCIMANOnly two licences to import hops from enemy countries have been issued, one in November, 1914, to Hartley's Brewery Company, of Cowick, for two bales, and one in March, 1915, to the executors of F. Robinson, of Stock-port, for eighteen bales. In both cases the consignors were Kauffmann and Company, of Nuremburg, and the goods were ordered before the War direct by the importers from Kauffmann. The licences were granted exceptionally because evidence was adduced to show that the hops had been paid for before the War. No conditions attached to the licences and the applications were not supported by persons other than the licensees. Licences to import goods from Belgian territory in enemy occupation are in general not confined to a specified class of articles nor are they limited as to quantity. They are, however, always subject to the condition that payment of the purchase money be made into a blocked account in a bank in this country.