§ Lieut.-Commander Tufnellasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that raw timber has to pay the same amount of duty as that paid on manufactured timber articles, and that the industry has been informed that any immediate revision of such duty is impossible owing to the Scandinavian trade agreements; when these agreements will come up for revision; and whether, on that occasion, the position of the British timber industry will be taken into consideration?
Mr. StanleyMost manufactures of timber are subject on importation from a foreign country to a higher rate of duty than undressed timber; but certain planed or dressed softwood and softwood boxboards are subject to the same rate of duty, namely, 10 per cent. ad valorem and this rate cannot be increased during the currency of the present trade agreements with certain Scandinavian and Baltic countries. The position of the British timber industry will be kept in mind in any negotiations for the revision of these agreements, but I cannot at present say when any such negotiations will take place.