asked the Minister for Finance if he will state (a) the number of licences authorising the importation without payment of the duty on sheet lead-piping, etc., under Reference No. 34 of the First Schedule of the Finance Act, 1932, which have been issued since the 1st April last to the latest available date; (b) the quantity of the article or commodity permitted to be imported under such licences; and (c) the number (if any) of applications for such licences which have been refused and the reason for refusal in each case.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Issue of Import Licences.
asked the Minister for Finance if he will state (a) the number of licences authorising the importation without payment of the duty on putty in any form and paints and distempers, etc., under Reference No. 8 of the First Schedule of the Finance Act, 1932, which have been issued since the 1st April last to the latest available date; (b) the quantity of the article or commodity permitted to be imported under such licences; and (c) the number (if any) of applications for such licences which have been refused and the reason for refusal in each case.
asked the Minister for Finance if he will state (a) the number of licences authorising the importation without payment of the duty on manufactures wholly or partly of wood under Reference No. 18 of the First Schedule of the Finance Act, 1932, which have been issued since the 1st April last to the latest available date; (b) the quantity of the article or commodity permitted to be imported under such licences; and (c) the number (if any) of applications for such licences which have been refused and the reason for refusal in each case.
asked the Minister for Finance if he will state (a) the number of licences authorising the importation without payment of the duty on component parts of boots, shoes, slippers, goloshes, sandals or clogs under Section 32 of the Finance Act, 1932, which have been issued since the 1st April last to the latest available date; (b) the quantity of the article or commodity permitted to be imported under such licences; and (c) the number (if any) of applications for such licences which have been refused and the reason for refusal in each case.
I propose to take questions 11, 12, 13 and 15 together and to circulate with the Official Report the information asked for by the Deputy under heads (a) and (b) of these questions. As regards heads (c), I would refer the Deputy to the replies which I gave him on the 23rd instant in respect of similar questions.
Am I to understand, as to part (c), that licences are being dealt with in a happy-go-lucky way and are refused at the Minister's whim without any consideration of the number of these licences issued already or the quantities permitted free under those licences.
If the Deputy is under the impression that anything is being done in a happy-go-lucky manner, it does more credit to his imagination than to his knowledge of the facts.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary then state why it is difficult to give the number of refusals? Are there any records kept of the number of refusals and the reasons for the refusals?
Applications for licences are not indexed according to the section of the Act or the items of the Schedule to which they refer. The analysis of the applications to answer as to the number, if any, in any category would necessitate an expenditure of time and labour which the results would not justify.
Arising out of the reply, is there a duty on any lead goods other than sheet lead piping?
The Parliamentary Secretary stated that he was answering questions 11, 12, 13 and 15 together.
Yes—not 14.
Will the Parliamentary Secretary say where item (c) arises?
The Deputy has been referred to a previous answer to Deputy Doyle in relation to (c).
I am referring to the Parliamentary Secretary's original answer to the questions 11, 12, 13 and 15.
I said that I proposed to take questions 11, 12, 13 and 15 together and to circulate with the Official Report the information asked for by the Deputy under heads (a) and (b) of these questions.
Following is the reply referred to:—
TABLE.
|
Commodity. |
No. of licences issued during period 1st April, 1932, to 31st October, 1932. |
Value of or weight of commodities imported under foregoing licence(s). |
|
Sheet lead-piping, etc., under Ref. No. 34 of First Schedule to Finance Act, 1932. |
438 |
24,967 cwts. of sheet lead and lead piping. |
|
Putty in any form and paints and distempers, etc., under Ref. No. 8 of First Schedule to Finance Act, 1932. |
37 |
201 cwts. of putty paints and distempers. |
|
Manufactures wholly or partly of wood under Ref. No. 18 of the First Schedule to Finance Act, 1932. |
113 |
Manufactures wholly or partly of wood to the value of £2,098. The quantity by weight of the articles is not available. |
|
Component parts of boots, shoes, slippers, goloshes, sandals or clogs under Section 32 of the Finance Act, 1932. |
62 |
Component parts to the value of £13,793. The quantity by weight of the articles is not available. |