§ Captain FRASERasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will take the necessary steps as a contribution to our social services to give assistance to blinded and disabled soldiers and other blind persons by placing a tariff upon foreign imports of baskets, wooden toys, fibre mats, nets, wool rugs, and leather work, without rigid insistence upon economic considerations?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAI would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply given on 8th December to my Noble Friend the Member for Newark (Mar- 2061W quess of Titchfield) and other hon. Members.
Lieut.-Colonel MOOREasked the President of the Board of Trade the value of rags imported into this country during the months of September, October, and November in 1930 and 1931, respectively; and whether he is prepared to deal with these imports by legislation in the near future?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAMy hon. and gallant Friend will find particulars of the imports into the United Kingdom of woollen rags on page 37 of the monthly "Accounts relating to Trade and Navigation of the United Kingdom," and of linen and cotton rags for paper-making on page 44 of these Accounts. The figures for September and October have already been published, while those for November will be published to-morrow. These articles are included in Class II of the trade accounts and do not therefore come within the scope of the Abnormal Importations (Customs Duties) Act.
§ Mr. DONNERasked the President of the Board of Trade the amount of soap imported from Russia during the years 1929, 1930, and 1931, respectively?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHADuring the years 1929 and 1930 and the first 10 months of 1931, the quantity of soap of all kinds imported into the United Kingdom and registered as consigned from the Soviet Union amounted to 20 cwt., 34,365 cwts., and 28,540 cwts., respectively.
§ Lieut.-Colonel HENEAGEasked the President of the Board of Trade the total imports from foreign countries of newsprint paper during the past 10 months and the total imports for the previous 10 months; and similar imports from British Empire countries?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHADuring the 10 months ended 31st October, 1931, the total imports of news printing paper into the United Kingdom consigned from foreign countries and British countries amounted to 1,645,000 cwts., and 3,570,000 cwts., respectively. During the 10 months ended 31st December, 1930, they were 2,027,000 cwts. and 4,166,000 cwts., respectively.
§ Mr. PERKINSasked the President of the Board of Trade (1) the number of cream separators imported into this country during the year 1930;
2062W(2) The number and approximate value of stationary petrol and Diesel engines imported into this country during the year 1930?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAMy hon. Friend will find the particulars in respect of cream separators on page 31 of Volume I of the "Annual Statement of the Trade of the United Kingdom" for 1930. Statistics of the imports of stationary petrol and Diesel engines, as such, are not separately recorded in the trade returns, but my hon. Friend will find particulars of the imports of internal combustion engines of various descriptions on page 32 of the same publication.
Colonel CROOKSHANKasked the President of the Board of Trade if, in view of the recent imports of tinned barns and tongues, he will take steps to amend the Abnormal Importations (Customs Duties) Act so as to include these articles?
§ Captain ELLISTONasked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the abnormal importation of cork, especially during the past two months, he will consider the extension of the Abnormal Importations (Customs Duties) Act, 1931, so as to include the cork industry?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAMy hon. and gallant Friends' suggestions have been noted.
§ Dr. WORTHINGTONasked the President of the Board of Trade the value of Christmas trees imported annually, and of hedging and screens for housing work, such as rhododendrons, privet and laurels?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAComplete information in regard to Christmas trees is not available, but the value of the imports into the United Kingdom of Christmas trees, declared as such on importation, amounted to £8,980 in 1929 and £8,092 in 1930. I have no information regarding the imports of the other items mentioned, as these are not separately enumerated in the trade returns of the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. BURNETTasked the President of the Board of Trade the value of the imports of manufactured granite, monumental and architectural, for the months of August, September, and October, 1931?
2063W
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHADuring the months of August, September and October, 1931, the total declared value of the imports of monumental and architectural granite into the United Kingdom amounted to 221,371, £19,460, and £21,201, respectively.
Colonel CROOKSHANKasked the President of the Board of Trade if, in view of the abnormal imports of manufactured box boards or shooks, he will consider their inclusion in an order under the Act at an early date?
§ Mr. DREWEasked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the amount of imports of rabbit skins and furs, he will be prepared to include these in an order under the Abnormal Importations (Customs Duties) Act?
§ Sir W. SMILESasked the President of the Board of Trade whether, seeing that the imports of binder and reaper twine in October, 1931, were 3,135 cwts. as against only 562 cwts. in October, 1930, he is prepared to include this industry in the next list of duties under the Abnormal Importations (Customs Duties) Act?
§ Mr. KIRKPATRICKasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will take early steps to stop the abnormal importation of artificial silk into this country, particularly in regard to the fact that artificial silk produced in this country bears an excise duty of 1s. per lb.?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAI will refer my hon. Friends to the reply given on this subject to my hon. Friend the Member for Sunderland (Mr. L. Thompson) and several other hon. Members on 8th December.
§ Mr. CROSSasked the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether cotton sheets are included among quilts, counterpanes, and other bed-coverings, and, if not, in what group they are included; what are the quantities and values of the goods comprised in this group imported into this country in August, September, October, and November in each of the years 1924, 1930, and 1931; and if he can give any comparative figures concerning past and present imports of cotton sheets;
2064W(2) whether cotton blankets are included among quilts, counterpanes, and other bed-coverings; if not, in what group they are included; what are the quantities and values of the goods comprised in this group imported into this country in August, September, October, and November in each of the years 1924, 1930, and 1931; and if he can give any comparative figures concerning past and present imports of cotton blankets?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAThe imports of cotton sheets and cotton blankets into the United Kingdom are recorded by value only under the general heading "Made-up cotton goods for household purposes—Quilts, counterpanes and other bed coverings." The following table shows the value of the imports recorded under this heading during each month from August to November, 1930 and 1931. Similar particulars in respect of 1924 are not available. As my hon. Friend was informed on Tuesday last, I am unable to give any information concerning the imports of cotton sheets and cotton blankets.
Total declared value of the imports into the United Kingdom of made-up cotton goods for household purposes—Quilts, counterpanes, and other bed-coverings, during the months of August, September, October, and November, 1930 and 1931.
Month. 1930. 1931. £ £ August … 49,677 56,363 September … 63,006 81,357 October … 73,010 77,025 November … 57,923 75,441
Mr. PRICEasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will lay a White Paper giving in tabular form the deputations received by him and the Parliamentary Secretary during the last five weeks; the nature of the trades and industries represented; and the amount of protection asked for in each case?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAI do not think that any useful purpose would be served by adopting the hon. Member's suggestion.