§ Mr. RAFFANasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has received the Report of the Committee appointed by him to deal with the application for a further duty of 33⅓ per cent. upon optical and scientific instruments; whether the terms of reference to this Committee include the consideration of employment in the making of dental, surgical and medical instruments; if so, if evidence on this point was submitted to the Committee: and what was the value of imports of dental, surgical and medical instruments during the six months ending June, 1922, and similar figures for the same period in 1921?
§ Mr. BALDWINThe answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. The complaint referred to the Committee does not relate to dental, surgical and medical instruments other than a very limited number which are included in the lists of optical elements and of optical and scientific instruments issued by the Board of Trade under Section 1 (5) of the Act. These particular goods are products of industries covering a much wirier range, as to employment in which the Committee were specifically directed to report, and their report when presented, will no doubt deal with this aspect of the matter. The declared value of dental surgical, medical and veterinary instruments (except optical) registered as imported into the United Kingdom during the six months ended 30th June. 1922, was £12,42. The corresponding, value for the six months ended 30th June, 1921, was £20,592.