Dr. MURRAYasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been called to a consignment of nicotine sulphate imported from the United States by a steamer which arrived in this country on the 10th November; whether he is aware that, after repeated applications to the Customs authorities for the release of these goods on the ground that nicotine sulphate is not included in any list issued by the Board of Trade under the Key Industries Schedule to the Safeguarding of Industries Act, the importers were informed on the 23rd November that they could only obtain release of the goods if they were prepared to deposit a sum equal to 33⅓ per cent. of the c.i.f. value of the consignment; that on the 24th November the importers started an action through their solicitors against His Majesty's Board of Customs for loss or damage which might arise owing to the detention of the goods; whether on the 30th November the importers were informed by His Majesty's Customs that the matter was still under consideration, whether it was not until the 9th December that a letter was received from the Board of Trade, Industries and Manufactures Department, certifying that the substance in question was not dutiable; and whether he has considered the very great inconvenience to the importers from the fact that the goods were unnecessarily detained by His Majesty's Customs from the 10th November until the 9th December?
Mr. YOUNGI am informed that there was considerable doubt as to whether the goods in question, though not listed by name, were not dutiable under another heading, and that a definite decision was not arrived at until the 8th December. The delay is regretted, but, as stated in the question, the importers might have obtained delivery of the goods at any time on deposit of the duty pending determination of the question of liability, and thus have avoided the inconvenience of which complaint is made.