§ Sir J. HARMOOD-BANNERasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry 1875W of Munitions whether, to the knowledge of the Ministry of Munitions, W. H. Muller and Company have throughout the period of control shipped ore purchased abroad by individuals excluded from the approved list of ore charterers, and if any other neutral firms carrying on business in London, and on the approved list of ore charterers, have similarly acted as shippers so as to evade the control over firms excluded from the approved list of charterers entitled to claim subsidised tonnage?
§ Mr. JAMES HOPEMessrs. W. H. Muller and Company are not on the approved list of merchants, but Messrs. W. H. Muller and Company (London), Limited, are on the approved list. I have no information on the point referred to in the first part of the question. There is one doubtful case, of the kind referred to in the second part of the question, which is at presentsub judice.
§ Sir J. HARMOOD-BANNERasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions if he can state the estimated cost per ton of the freight subsidy on iron ore in excess of parity rates of freight in 1918; whether the Ministry of Munitions in 1918 approved the supply of subsidised tonnage at a cost of upwards of £500,000 for W. H. Muller and Company, of London or the Hague, in respect of over 15,000 tons of Bilbao ore bought by them as merchants from Spanish mine-owners for resale in the United Kingdom; and whether at that time the Ministry of Munitions and the Ministry of Shipping were unable to fully supply British mine-owners and merchants with the tonnage necessary to maintain their outputs or fulfil their engagements?
§ Mr. HOPEThe freight subsidy in 1918 varied according to the port of shipment and the port of destination. It is difficult to give an exact estimate, but £3 per ton excess over parity rates would be a fair approximation. Tonnage was not allocated to any particular firm of shippers. Ironmasters applying for tonnage to the official ore broker to bring forward their purchases from any firm on the approved list received the consideration that the state of their stocks demanded.
§ Sir J. HARMOOD-BANNERasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions whether he will submit a statement of tonnage loaded with iron-ore from North Spanish ports and Medi- 1876W terranean ports, respectively, by each firm on the approved list during the period of control of ore freights, and show which of the shippers were mine owners, merchants, or commission agents acting for principals trading or domiciled abroad and not liable for British taxation of profits?
§ Mr. HOPEThe information is not available in the form asked for by my hon. Friend. The approved list of iron-ore merchants only recognised principals, and requests by agents to be placed on the list were refused. All firms on the approved list have a British domicile, and are therefore liable for taxation under the ordinary law of the land.