§ Mr. CROOM-JOHNSONasked the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether he is aware that a large trade is done in this country in imported unused current postage stamps of the British Empire and of foreign countries; whether the intention is that such postage stamps shall constitute goods under the provisions of the Import Duties Bill; and whether, as many issue's of such postage stamps are printed and manufactured in this country, he will make an announcement on this matter;
(2) whether he is aware that a large trade in this country is dependent in part on the importation of obsolete foreign and 35W British Empire postage stamps; whether it is the intention that such postage stamps shall constitute goods under the Import Duties Bill; and whether, seeing that many such stamps are imported on approval, without a fixed price, and that only a small percentage is ultimately purchased, whether such stamps are or are not to be subject to duty?
§ Major ELLIOTI am advised that unused current postage stamps of the British Empire and of foreign countries would not be liable to duty under the Import Duties Bill, but that obsolete foreign and British Empire stamps would be liable.
§ Major NATHANasked the Prime Minister whether the Economic Advisory Council has been asked to investigate the probable effects upon employment of the proposals contained in the Import Duties Bill?
§ Mr. BALDWINThe proceedings of the Economic Advisory Council are confidential, and I am therefore not prepared to indicate the subjects discussed by it.