§ Mr. Kellyasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has yet come to a final decision as to recommending that automatic machine tools be admitted duty free into this country; and, if so, for what period of time is this to operate?
§ Captain WallaceI assume that the hon. Member refers to the duty-free importation of automatic machine tools by virtue of licences issued on the recommendation of the Import Duties Advisory Committee under Section 10 of the Finance Act, 1932. Under that Section a separate recommendation is required in respect of each consignment far which a licence is desired; and before recommending the issue of a licence, the committee must be satisfied that similar machinery is not, for the time being, procurable in the United Kingdom, and that, having regard to all the circumstances, it is expedient that the consignment should be allowed to be imported free of duty. The answer to the first part of the question is therefore in the negative and the second part does not arise.