HC Deb 20 June 1910 vol 18 cc168-70W
Mr. WILLIAM THORNE

asked the President of the Board of Trade if his attention has been called to the increased duties placed upon black plates and galvanised sheets by the Swedish Government; if he is prepared to negotiate with the Swedish Government with the view of getting the increased duties abolished and for the black plates and galvanised sheets to be imported free of duty in the same manner as tin plates are at present; and if he will state what are the increased duties placed upon black plates and galvanised sheets?

The following is the statement to which Mr. BUXTON referred in the oral answer which he gave to the question on Thursday, 16th June.—[See OFFICIAL REPORT, 16th June, 1910, col. 1447.] The following statement shows the proposed new Swedish Customs duties on black plates (Tariffs Nos. 693–698) and galvanised sheets (Tariff No. 700) as adopted by the Swedish Chambers. The present rates of duty are added for the purpose of comparison:—

Classification under Proposed Tariff. Rates of Duty. English Equivalents of
Present. Proposed. Present Rates. Proposed Rates.
Plates and sheets, cut or not: Kr. ore. Kr. ore. £ s. d. £ s. d.
Not ground or polished, without coating of other metals or other surface-coating, not being cold-rolled, even if they are corrugated or have patterns rolled in on one side:
693. Of a thickness of 3 millimetres or more 100 kilogs. 3 00 100 kilogs. 3 50 Ton 1 13 10 Ton 1 19 6
694. Of a thickness less than 3 millimetres, but not less than 0.6 millimetres 100kilogs. 4 00 100kilogs. 4 50 Ton 2 5 2 Ton 2 10 10
695. Of a thickness less than 0.6 millimetres, but not less than 0.3 millimetres; also plates, all kinds, with varying degrees of hardness in their section (compound steel plates) 100 kilogs. 4 00 100 kilogs. 5 00 Ton 2 5 2 Ton 2 16 6
Of a thickness less than 0.3 millimetres 100 kilogs. 4 00 Free. Ton 2 5 2 Free.
Ground, furnished with bright surface, free of oxide (cold rolled) or with dull surface free of oxide (pickled), or with reflecting film of oxide (so-called lustre plates) polished, painted, varnished, nickelled, lacquered, enamelled, bronzed, or with impressed patterns:
696. Of a thickness of 3 millimetres or more 100 kilogs 6 00* 100 kilogs. 6 00 Ton 3 7 10* Ton 3 7 10
697. Of a thickness of from 0.25 millimetres to 3 millimetres; also cold-rolled sheets less than 0.25 millimetres thick Free.† 100 kilogs. 7 00 Free.† Ton 3 19 0
698. Of a thickness less than 0.25 millimetres, other than cold-rolled Notes to Nos. 696–698:— Free. Free.
1. As cold-rolled plates and sheets shall be treated those which have received a surface coated with a thin film of oxide by annealing after cold-rolling.
2. A coating with oil, clearly intended only to protect sheets against rust, shall not be considered as painting or varnishing.
3. Sheets with impressed patterns present, in distinction to plates with patterns rolled in, projections or depressions on the back corresponding to the pattern.
699. Coated with pure tin or with tin containing lead 100 kilogs. 6 00‡ Free. Ton 3 7 10‡ Free.
Free.§ Free.§
700. Coated with non-precious metals other than those mentioned in Nos. 696–699 or alloys of them, even if corrugated 100 kilogs 6 00* 100 kilogs. 7 00 Ton 3 7 10* Ton 3 19 0
Free.† Free.†
Note to Nos. 693–700:—
The plates and sheets mentioned above when not cut rectangularly are subject to a surtax of 15 per cent, of the duty, if less than 7 millimetres thick. ║
* Of a thickness of ¼ millimetre and above.
† Less than ½ millimetre in thickness.
‡ Coated with lead, ¼ millimetre thick or more.
§ Other.
║ No such surtax is at present levied.