New Clause — (Amendment to 22 Geo. 5, c. 8, s. 3.)

Part of Orders of the Day — Finance Bill. – in the House of Commons at on 11 June 1934.

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Photo of Lieut-Colonel Leo Amery Lieut-Colonel Leo Amery , Birmingham Sparkbrook

I naturally bow to your Ruling, Captain Bourne, but I was referring to these figures purely as showing their effect on the problem of unemployment. I was not suggesting precisely what method the Advisory Committee should employ in reference to this drop in unemployment. I think the figures I have given are significant as showing that the employment that might have gone to industries and workers in this country is by the present operation of our tariffs going to our foreign competitors. To that extent, without in any sense trespassing upon your Ruling, I would submit that it has a bearing upon the Amendment to note that the employment situation has been seriously affected by the very substantial increase in imports in the last few months.

I do not wish to weary the Committee with figures. I have a whole sheet of figures in respect of more detailed aspects of this question that show even more remarkable increases ranging from 50 per cent. to 185 per cent. over a large number of industries, not specialised industries, but ordinary products of our staple industries. It may very well be that in any one particular case there are special circumstances to warrant such an increase of importation, but when we find it extended over every class of manufactured goods it seems to indicate clearly that certain general influences are at work prejudicing the employment of our people. I suggest that the course of circumstances inside and outside this country in the last 18 months offer some explanation of that change in the situation. When our present tariff system took shape more than 18 months ago we were helped in this country not only by the tariff duties——