asked the Minister for Finance if he will state (a) the quantity and value of floor-coverings of linoleum or similar material imported during each of the years 1953, 1954 and 1955, (b) the rate of customs duty charged thereon, (c) the duty reference number, and (d) the amount of duty collected in each of the aforementioned years.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Imports of Floor Coverings.
As the reply includes tabular statements I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to have it circulated in the Official Report.
Following is the statement:—
(a) The quantity and value of floor coverings of linoleum and similar material imported in the calendar years 1953, 1954 and 1955 were—
|
Year |
Quantity |
Value |
|
sq. yds. |
£ |
|
|
1953 |
1,530,775 |
436,123 |
|
1954 |
1,847,351 |
459,609 |
|
1955 |
1,956,585 |
509,419 |
(b) and (c) The rates of Customs Duty charged on linoleum and similar products and the relative Customs Tariff Ref. No. were the same in each of the three years and were as follows:—
|
Goods |
Rate of Duty |
Customs Tariff Ref. No. |
|
Inlaid floor coverings. |
Not liable to duty. |
— |
|
Other floor coverings having a hard surface. |
1/- the sq. yard. |
89/2 (b) |
(d) Separate statistics are not available of the net receipts of duty from Sub-head (b) of Tariff Ref. No. 89/2 for the years mentioned. The net receipts from the Tariff Ref. No. as a whole were—
|
1953 |
£27,242 |
|
1954 |
£28,070 |
|
1955 |
£28,051 |
Separate statistics are available, however, for the period October 1955 to September, 1956 and in this period practically all (some 99%) of the duty collected under the Tariff Ref. No. was in respect of goods of the kind to which the Deputy refers. It may reasonably be assumed that a similar position held in respect of the receipts from the duty in the years 1953, 1954 and 1955.