§ 90. Mr. J. Lewisasked the President of the Board of Trade how many ball point pens of United States manufacture have been imported into this country during the last six months; and the circumstances under which import licences were granted.
§ Mr. J. EdwardsBall point pens are not separately distinguished in the trade260W returns. Licences to import 5,838 ball point pens from the United States have been issued since 1st August, 1948, no payment being involved. During the same period licences have been issued to import fountain pens under the token import scheme to the value of £437 covering approximately 1,650 pens. It is not possible to say how many ball point pens have actually been imported under these licences.
§ Mr. J. Lewisasked the President of the Board of Trade in what circumstances an import licence was recently granted to an American citizen to bring into this country 5,000 ball point pens free of duty.
§ Mr. J. EdwardsNo licence for the import of pens free of duty has been issued. An import licence was granted last December for 5,000 American ball pointed pens for distribution as free gifts, it being a condition of the licence that the pens would not be sold or distributed as advertisements for this particular pen. Customs duty on 4,000 pens imported under this licence has been paid.