§ Mr. HARRISasked the President of the Board of trade (1) whether he can state the quantity and value of paints, colours, and colouring matter imported during the years 1922, 1923, 1924, and 1925; and whether he can state the proportion admitted by license;
(2) Whether he can state the number of licences granted by the dyestuffs licensing committee for the import of dyestuffs during the years 1922, 1923, 1924, and 1925, respectively; the approximate values and quantities of the same; and the amount of fees charged?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERThe following statement gives the information required:
1891WThe classes of products to which the provisions of the Dyestuffs (Import Regulation) Act, 1920, relate are represented mainly by the headings "Finished r Dyestuffs obtained from Coal Tar" and
TABLE B. LICENCES granted under the Dyestuffs (Import Regulation) Act, 1920, for the Importation of Dyestuffs, Colours and Colouring Matters, and Organic Intermediate Products used in the Manufacture of such Dyestuffs, Colours and Colouring Matters. Year. Number of licences granted. Total value licensed Total quantity licensed. Total Amount of License Fees Charged. £ lbs. £ s. d. 1922 … … … 4,975 1,103,819 3,234,893 3,341 12 6 1923 … … … 4,341 989,537 3,691,440 3,543 5 0 1924 … … … 4,332 770,943 3,036,234 2,867 10 0 1925 … … … 4,879 651,534 3,399,054 2,270 7 6 The foregoing particulars do not include importations on Reparation Account, which are comprised in Table A.
§ Mr. HARRISasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the inconvenience and uncertainty among importers of boxes of toy paints, pencils, inks, chalks and crayons owing to the refusal of the Dyestuffs Licensing Committee to grant licences for the import of such articles; and whether he is willing to take the necessary action to ensure a speedy hearing of the test case now pending in the Law Courts between his Department and the importers?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERI am aware that licences are not being granted for the importation of some of the articles
1892W
The following Statement gives Particulars of the Licences issued during 1925 for the Export of War Material of or over a Value of approximately £500. Date of Issue of License. Material. Approximate Value. Destination. 1925. £ 22nd January … 520 sights for howitzers … … 15,600 Spain. 26th January … Cup leathers, springs, etc. … … 1,250 Chile. 3rd February … 200 revolvers 320 … … 650 Greece. 4,000 cartridges … … Greece. 5th February … 17 depth charge throwers … … 3,000 Greece. 76 steel depth charge carriers … … Greece. 9th February … 53,000 cartridges … … 800 Belgium. 14th February … 2,000 gun charges and tools … … 800 Brazil 17th February … 8,000 electric primers … … 950 Portugal. 19th February … 10,000 gun fuzes … … 7,500 Latvia. 21st February … 20 Lewis guns … … 3,400 Japan. "Intermediate Coal Tar Products used in the manufacture of Dyes," in the above table. The following statement gives particulars of the licences issued under that Act:
mentioned. The conduct of the action referred to is in the plaintiffs' hands, but I should not oppose any course they think fit to take to ensure a speedy hearing.