§ Captain WATERHOUSEasked the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he is aware that during December last 74,620 dozen pairs of cotton stockings and hose were imported from Japan at an average, price of less than 2½. per pair; the cost of national taxation per head of population in this country and in Japan; the wage cost per hour of hosiery workers in Leicester and Japan; and what steps, if any, His Majesty's Government propose to protect the interests of British workers in this industry against this competition;
(2) if he is aware that 94,538 dozen of cotton underwear were imported from Czechoslovakia in December last at an average price of less than 6d. each; the cost of national taxation per head of population in Czechoslovakia and in this country and the wage cost per hour of hosiery workers in Leicester and in Czechslovakia; and what steps, if any, His Majesty's Government propose to take to protect the interests of the home trade against this competition?
§ Mr. W. GRAHAMThe reply to the first part of these questions is in the affirmative. National taxation per head of population is estimated to be in Czechoslovakia £3 1s. 9d., in Japan £1 12s. 4d., and in the United Kingdom £15 13s. 10d. As to the third part of each question, no comparable statistics are available. As regards the last part of the questions, I fear I can add nothing to previous answers on this subject.