§ 80. Mr. T. Reidasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the export duty per ton on Ceylon copra at present; how much this indirect tax on British users of this copra will amount to per annum, approximately; how the price of Ceylon copra compares with the price of copra purchased from other coconut-growing countries; and which of these countries exporting to Britain do not levy an export tax on copra.
Mr. Creech JonesThe duty on copra exported from Ceylon is 200 rupees per ton and the yield in a normal year as total export, including exports to India, should be about £2½ million. I understand that the price of Ceylon copra, including the new duty, is appreciably less than the price now being paid by my right hon. Friend, the Minister of Food, for copra of foreign origin, but it is higher, by the amount of the new duty, than the current prices for copra from other British Colonies exporting copra to the United Kingdom. All Colonies exporting copra to the United Kingdom levy export duties and I understand that this is also the case in most other exporting countries