HC Deb 26 November 1931 vol 260 cc530-3W
Captain FRASER

asked the President of the Board of Trade the volume and value of imports of lead, coloured and copying pencils in wood, pipes (tobacco), finished, pipes (tobacco) unfinished, and wall papers, in the 10 months 1st January to 31st October, and in the single month of October, respectively, in the years 1930 and 1931, together with figures showing the quantities of such goods sold in Great Britain and manufactured in Great Britain, respectively, during the same periods?

Period. Pencils, pencil leads and crayons (a). Pipes for smoking. Printed and embossed paper hangings.
Declared Value. Quantity. Declared Value. Quantity. Declared Value.
1930. £ Cwts. £ Cwts. £
January to October 170,277 78,690 208,302 103,292 210,811
October 20,106 8,965 23,664 15,522 31,273
1931.
January to October 153,088 70,984 188,464 96,690 183,983
October 22,623 8,084 20,401 17,283 32,520

(a) Recorded by value only.

Mr. KIMBALL

asked the President of the Board of Trade the quantity and value of cotton hosiery and lisle hosiery, respectively, imported into this country during 1931 to the latest available date and the corresponding imports between the same dates in 1930; and whether he will include such imports in the next schedule of duties under the Abnormal Importations (Customs Duties) Act, 1931?

Mr. WARDLAW-MILNE

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether it is the intention of the Government to include needles, fish-hooks, and latch-needles in orders issued under the Abnormal Importations (Customs Duties) Act?

Captain NORTH

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will consider including foreign hats and hoods in his list of 20th November; and if he can give the figures of import for the year 1930 as compared with the year 1924?

Mr. HORE-BELISHA

The following table shows, in respect of the under-mentioned commodities, the total quantity and declared value of the imports into the United Kingdom during the 10 months ended October, and the month of October, 1930 and 1931, respectively. Separate particulars are not available in regard to coloured, lead and copying, pencils in wood or wall papers as such, nor do the trade returns distinguish between finished and unfinished pipes for smoking. I regret that information is not available in my Department regarding the sales and production of these goods during these periods.

Mr. HOWARD

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether he will take immediate steps to amend or include within the Customs Importation Order (No. 978), 1931, all manufactured articles mainly consisting of wool or linen, in order to prevent foreign manufacturers escaping the duty by sending in manufactured goods in place of tissues?

(2) whether he will observe the principle, in the imposition of all future duties, that fully manufactured articles shall bear duties at least equal to any imposed on the semi-manufactured article from which such goods are made?

Mr. HORE-BELISHA

I will refer my hon. Friends to the reply given yesterday to the hon. Members for Barnstaple (Sir B. Peto) Ealing (Sir F. Sanderson) and South-East Leeds (Major Milner). The desired figures relating to the imports of cotton hosiery and hats will be found in the Trade and Navigation Accounts for October last (p. 59) and in Volume II of the Annual Statement of Trade for the years 1924 (pp. 267–8) and 1230 (p. 232) respectively; particulars as regards lisle hosiery are not separately recorded in the trade returns of the United Kingdom.

Captain A. EVANS

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) the total amount and value of cellophane imported into Great Britain for the years 1928 and 1929, and the first nine months of 1930 and 1931;

(2) the total amount and value of transparent paper imported into Great Britain for the first nine months of 1930 and the first nine months of 1931; and the total value and amount of manufactured middles imported into Great Britain during the same period;

(3) the total amount and value of glazed transparent wrapping paper imported into Great Britain for the years 1928 and 1929, and the first nine months of 1930 and 1931?

Mr. HORE-BELISHA

I regret that the desired information is not available as these articles are not separately recorded in the trade returns of the United Kingdom.

Sir N. STEWART SANDEMAN

asked the President of the Board of Trade the area and value of cotton ducks between the weights of 8 oz. and 33 oz. per square yard which were brought into the country for the first 10 months of 1930 and also of 1931; and the figures of imports of these goods during the first three weeks of November, 1931?

Mr. HORE-BELISHA

I regret that the desired information is not available, as the imports of cotton ducks are not separately recorded in the trade returns of the United Kingdom.

Mr. CHRISTIE

asked the President of the Board of Trade what quantity of fresh liquid milk has been imported into this country during the last week; and what is the declared value per gallon and to whom has it been consigned?

Mr. HORE-BELISHA

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on Tuesday last to my hon. Friend the Member for Rotherham (Mr. Herbert) respecting the objections to statistics for shorter periods than one month.