§ Mr. C. RAWSONasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that motor tyres, football bladders, garden hose, and other rubber manufactured goods can be, and are being, imported into this country from Germany without their country of origin being indicated and that, owing to the exchange, such goods are being sold in this country at 25 per cent. to 30 per cent. below our cost price; and can he state if, and when, legislative proposals are to be presented to the House to deal with the question?
§ Viscount WOLMERThe existing legislation relating to the marking of imported goods does not require that all such goods should bear an indication of the country of origin. As regards the last part of the question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave yesterday to the hon. and gallant Member for Rotherham (Sir F. Kelley).
§ Mr. W. GREENWOODasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the American manufacturers over-produced, during the first half of this year, at the rate of 10,000,000 motor-car covers per annum, and that if that rate of production is continued, judging from past experience, large quantities of these surplus tyres will probably be thrown on this market at cut prices; and whether, seeing that if only one-tenth of this surplus was sold here it would mean the loss of a full year's employment for about 3,500 British workers, he will consider the advisability of now including motor-car tyres as accessories of motorcars for import duty?
§ Viscount WOLMERI am aware of the large scale of the American motor-tyre industry, but I have no official information as to the statements contained in the first part of my hon. Friend's question. As regards the second part, I cannot add anything to the answer given by the Prime Minister on the 18th July.