§ Mr. SOARESasked the President of the Board of Trade what was the total amount of articles, wholly or mainly manufactured, 1061W imported into this country during the year 1908, and by what amount this item is lessened after deducting re-exports, tin, copper, zinc, pig-lead, quicksilver, indigo, barks for tanning, leather, skins and furs dressed, oil seed-cake, paraffin wax, stone slabs, and marble rough-hewn; and what would be the amount of a 10 per cent. duty on the total volume of wholly or mainly manufactured articles after the deductions aforesaid had been made?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe total value of the imports into the United Kingdom of all articles classified as wholly or mainly manufactured in 1908 was £143,085,597. If from this sum are deducted the value of the imports of the articles specified in the question and also the value of the re-exports of all other articles in the group the remainder is about 91 ½ million pounds sterling. Ten per cent. of this sum is £9,175,000, but such a sum cannot, of course, be regarded as the probable proceeds of a 10 per cent. duty, as no allowance is made in the calculation for any decline in importation resulting from the imposition of the duty, or for several other not less important inroads.