Captain A. EVANSasked the President of the Board of Trade if, in view of the large number of unemployed in British ship-repairing yards and the number of British ships which are sent abroad for repairs which could be effected in Great Britain, and in order to encourage such work being carried out in this country, he will bring to the notice of the Committee on Ship-building the desirability of instituting a tax on all such repairs executed in foreign countries provided a reasonable British tender has been refused by the owners or their representatives, which practice has been carried out with success in the United States of America?
§ Sir B. CHADWICKI am in entire sympathy with the hon. Member's object, the increase of employment in British ship-repairing yards, but the particular measure he proposes, namely, taxing repairs effected abroad, is open to so many objections, and would be so difficult to work practice, that I cannot undertake to support it.