"That the Dáil agree with the Committee in Resolution No. 7." This is a similar Resolution. It effects no actual changes, but is designed to simplify the present Customs Schedule.
In Committee on Finance. - Financial Resolutions Nos. 7 to 12—Customs.
Question put and agreed to.
I move: "That the Dáil agree with the Committee in Resolution No. 8." This is a Resolution of a similar kind. A number of changes have been made in motor car and motor car parts by Finance Acts and by Emergency Orders. The position became complicated and it was difficult to understand how the duties operated. We are wiping out the existing duties and imposing the duties set out in the Schedule to the Resolution. Practically no changes are effected beyond simplification.
When the Minister says that practically no changes are effected, does that imply that there is no increase in the duty on any of the articles mentioned?
Where there are a number of duties they may be grouped. There are very few changes. As there are probably 500 separate parts in motor cars which may be dutiable under separate headings the intention of the Resolution is merely to codify and to simplify the duties and not to make any changes upwards or downwards.
Question put and agreed to.
I move: "That the Dáil agree with the Committee in Resolution No. 9." This is the duty which brings vehicles, propelled by the operation of steam engines, inside the scope of the motor vehicle duties.
Question put and agreed to.
I move: "That the Dáil agree with the Committee on Financial Resolution No. 10." This is the Resolution which grants the reduction of 4d. per lb. in the duty on tea.
The Minsiter will recall that, when dealing with the tea duty, Deputy Cosgrave pointed out that there was an apparent discrepancy between the figure given by the Minister as to the value of the tea imported last year and the figure quoted in the trade reports of the amount of tea imported.
I did not mention at any time the quantity of tea imported. I did point out that our estimate of customs duty on tea had been exceeded by £73,000. Deputy Cosgrave suggested in his speech that there was some discrepancy between that figure and the increase in the combined yield from customs and excise duty. In the course of my speech concluding the debate on the General Resolution, I drew the Deputy's attention to the fact that at that point I was referring merely to the customs duty.
Question put and agreed to.
I move: "That the Dáil agree with the Committee on Financial Resolution No. 11." This is the Resolution which grants exemption from customs duty on articles which are over 100 years old.
Question put and agreed to.
I move: "That the Dáil agree with the Committee on Financial Resolution No. 12." This is the Resolution which increases the duty on newspapers from two-fifths to two-thirds of a penny per copy.
Question put and agreed to.