Captain BENNasked the President of the Board of Trade whether difficulty has arisen over the amount of duty to be levied on tungsten wire contained in electric lamps; whether figures have been submitted to His Majesty's Customs proving by exhaustive analysis of figures as relating to lamps of various voltages and wattages, showing that the value of the tungsten averages less than one per cent, of the c.i.f. value of the lamp; whether in London His Majesty's Customs have accepted as a full settlement payment of duty on such a basis; and whether His Majesty's Customs at Goole has refused to release consignments of these lamps unless safeguarding of industries duty is paid on the basis that the tungsten wire represents 10 per cent. of the total invoice value?
Mr. YOUNGThe Commissioners of Customs and Excise have before them figures given by various importing firms, and are considering how far it is possible to establish standard values for the wire in question. They have not yet established any general standard of value, and any settlement in London on the basis suggested in the question must have referred solely to a particular consignment. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer cannot identify620W the case at Goole to which the hon. and gallant Member refers without further particulars.