HC Deb 17 June 1912 vol 39 cc1452-3W
Mr. HEWINS

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) what steps have been taken, since the publication of the Report on the Trade in Imports and Exports at Irish Ports in 1910, to supply the deficiency of information to which attention is called in the footnote on page xxii. of that Report; whether it is now possible to inform the House of the exact countries of origin of the goods imported into Ireland; and, in view of the bearing of these trade statistics upon the operation of the Customs provisions of the Government of Ireland Bill, what other steps the Government are taking to classify the Irish figures in such a manner as to throw light upon the present relations between Ireland and foreign countries?

Mr. T. W. RUSSELL

I am not in a position to give the information asked for. It could only be obtained by requiring the production of declarations as to the country of origin in regard to consignments of goods imported into Ireland from Great Britain. This could not be done without legislation.