§ Mr. NEEDHAMasked whether any of the allied or enemy Powers have altered 1559W their Customs tariff since war commenced; and whether particulars can be given of such alterations?
§ Mr. PRETYMANAs regards France, Italy, Russia, Austria-Hungary and Germany, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave on the 1st December to the hon. Member for North Somerset. The Japanese Government have abrogated the "Conventional" rates of Customs Duty which resulted from the Customs Agreement of 1911 between Japan and Germany, and the articles on which the duty was reduced by that Agreement are now dutiable at the higher rates of the Japanese Statutory Tariff. I am informed that in September, 1914, the Turkish Government increased the rate of duty leviable on imported goods from 11 to 15 per cent.ad valorem. I have no information with regard to Bulgaria.