HC Deb 20 February 1945 vol 408 cc647-8W
Sir D. Thomson

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) why the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, by powers under the Defence Regulations Act, 1939 (16b) (Control of Imports), adopts the policy of denying the merchants of that Colony permission to import the full quantity of British goods allocated to Trinidad and Tobago out of the British West Indian quota of exportable goods sanctioned by the Board of Trade; and whether he is aware that as a result of this policy merchants are being forced to purchase goods from Canada, which were previously imported from the United Kingdom, irrespective of whether shipping space is available from the United Kingdom;

(2) whether he can give an assurance that steps will be taken to ensure that the Government of Trinidad and Tobago lifts the ban on the importation of goods from this country and that merchants will, in future, be permitted to import their full quota of any merchandise made available to the West Indies by the Board of Trade;

(3) whether the British Colonies in the Caribbean area, with the exception of Trinidad and Tobago, are importing their full allocation of available British goods within the West Indian quota; and obtaining the necessary shipping space to do so.

Colonel Stanley

No general prohibition on imports into Trinidad and Tobago from the United Kingdom exists, but some general prohibitions on imports of non-essential goods from any source have been imposed in order to save materials and shipping. Other goods are generally subject to import licensing whether imported from the United Kingdom or elsewhere. For some, but not all, exports from this country the Board of Trade make allocations to specified Colonies or groups of Colonies. I cannot say without a great deal of research whether Trinidad and Tobago or other Colonies in the Caribbean area have made full use of the allocations so available to them in every case, but I can assure the hon. Member that such use is in no case impeded by import prohibitions or by lack of shipping space. I should be glad to have inquiries made about any particular cases the hon. Member has in mind.