§ Lord APSLEYasked the President of the Board of Trade the total value of the Imperial Preference given by way of rebate or remission in the Customs tariff of this country to the Dominions and 36W Colonies in the latest available year; and the amount similarly given by the Dominions and Colonies to the United Kingdom in the same period?
§ Mr. HACKINGThe approximate amount of the preferential rebate allowed on goods imported from the Empire and delivered for home consumption in this country during the year ended 31st March, 1928, was £6,289,000. As regards the second part of the question, the year 1925 is the latest for which complete particulars have been estimated The approximate amounts of the preferential rebates allowed on goods imported from the United Kingdom during the year 1925 were as follow:
£ On imports into Canada 2,470,000 On imports into Australia 7,800,000 On imports into New Zealand 2,860,000 On imports into Union of South Africa 643,000 In the case of Australia and the Union of South Africa more recent particulars are available, and are as follow:
£ Australia (year ended 30th June, 1927) 8,480,000 Union of South Africa (calendar year 1927) 421,000 Figures showing the amount of the preferential rebates in the case of imports from the United Kingdom into Colonies and Protectorates during 1926, the latest year for which such particulars are at present available, were given in an answer by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to my hon. Friend the Member for the Eastern Division of Hull (Mr. Lumley) on 25th July, 1927, a copy of which I am sending to my Noble Friend.