§ 78 and 79. Mr, T. Reidasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) which Colonies levy export duties on non-luxury goods purchased for use in Britain; and if he has taken any steps to prevent this indirect method of securing Colonial revenue from British taxpayers;
(2) which Colonies levying export duties on commodities exported to Britain have received, or are to receive, grants from the British Colonial Welfare and Development Fund or special treatment for their overseas trade under the Imperial Preference system.
Mr. Creech JonesExport duties are a normal method of raising Colonial revenue and a full list of such duties is available in the Colonial Office Library. Where the price paid by the United Kingdom for Colonial products is based on the world market value, export duties are borne by the producer and not by the consumer in Britain or elsewhere. Where sales are made under some form of bulk contract, provision is normally made in the agreement covering the arrangement to prevent the purchaser having to bear any new, or additional, export duties imposed by the Colonial Government concerned. Thus, there is, as a general rule, no question of the British taxpayer indirectly subsidising Colonial revenues in this way. With the 65W exception of Ceylon and Bermuda, all Colonies are open to receive assistance under the Colonial Development and Welfare Acts. All Colonial Dependencies may receive the benefit of Imperial Preference.