[1706/10/146]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
An eight report from the committee to whom the sexth article of union is remitted brought in and read in these terms, viz.
The committee of parliament to whom the sexth article of the treaty was remitted, having considered the remit to them, with the books of rates both for Scotland and England, and the severall acts of parliament relateing thereto, the schemes or abstracts from the custome house books given in to them from the council of trade, and the report theranent of their sub committee, who, on a report from them, had compared the customes and duties on export and import setled in England with these setled in Scotland, and had calculated the duties payable in Scotland upon tarr, tobacco, iron, dales, single and double trees, lint and lintseed, and compared the same with the dueties payable upon the same goods in England at a medium of the three years whereof they had the said abstracts from the custome house books, they find that as to the customes and dueties on export and import in generall the customes in Scotland belong to the crown and are perpetuall whereas those in England terminat at a certain number of years, viz. about tuo fifteen parts therof at 8th March 1709 years, nine fifteen parts thereof at first August 1710, about three fifteen parts thereof continue only during her majesties' life, and about one fifteen part thereof for ninety-five years, and that the dueties upon exportation which were granted 12o Caroli 2, cap. 4. are easie [and] have never been augmented save upon a very few particulars, and terminat the first of August 1710. That these goods which contribute to luxury and these that are manufactured, or can be had within the island, are those that pay high duties when imported, but that the whole or most of the customes and duties payed at importation are drawn back upon exportation if exported within a certain tyme, except a moity of old subsidy which is very small, and which is imposed by the forsaid act 12o Caroli 2, cap. 4. and terminats the first of August 1710. That the duties on the before mentioned goods, at the above medium payable in Scotland by the nearest calculation can be made, amounts to [£]253,184: 15s. 7d. and now payable in England to [£]413,559 : 8s. 4d. and payable in England after 1710 to [£]129,640: 9s. 8d. Scots. And the duties upon our linnen cloath and cattell imported into England by the above medium amounts to [£]272,629: 3s. 10d. money foresaid. So that it is the opinion of the committee the dueties after 1710 will be much easier than now they are: and even as they stand now payable in England, considering the dueties that are upon Scots goods imported into England and taken off by the treaty, the customes of Scotland taken together even before the first of August 1710 will be easier than now they are.
And after some reasoning theron, a state of a vote was offered, approve of the sexth article of union as explained and enlarged or not, but it being moved that the vote could not be stated in these terms in respect what concerned the Affrican Company fell under the said sexth article which was to be considered, whereupon it was aggreed that what concerns the Affrican Company shall be intire and be taken into consideration under the fifteenth article, and that the approveing of the sexth article shall not be prejudiciall therto.
And the above state for a vote being again proposed, after some debate it was moved that the said article should be furder amended and therupon a second state of a vote was offered in these terms, approve or amend, wherupon the said sexth article, with the severall additions, enlargements and explanations aftermentioned contained in severall former minuts, viz. the word 'drawbacks' to be insert in both clauses; item, and seing by the laws of England notwithstanding there are rewards granted upon exportation of certain kinds of grain wherein oats grinded or ungrinded are not specified, that, from and after the union, when oats shall be at fifteen shillings sterline per quarter or under there shall be paid tuo shillings and sex pence sterline for every quarter of the oat meall exported in the terms of the law wherby and so long as rewards are granted for exportation of other grains, and that the bear of Scotland have the same rewards as barley; item, and in respect the importation of victuall into Scotland from any part beyond sea would prove a discouragement to tillage therefore, that the prohibitions as now in force by the law of Scotland against importation of victuall from Ireland, or any other place beyond sea into Scotland, doe after the union remain in the same force as now it is, untill more propper and effectuall wayes be provided by the parliament of Great Brittain for discourageing the importation of the said victuall from beyond sea; item, excepting and reserving the duties upon export and import of such particular commodities from which any persones the subjects of aither kingdome are specially liberated and exempted by their private rights which, after the union, are to remain safe and intire to them in all respects as before the same; item, that from and after the union no Scots cattle caryed into England shall be lyable to any other dueties, either on the publick or private accompts, than these dueties to which the cattell of England are or shall be lyable within the said kingdome; being all read over, it was putt to the vote, whither the first or second should be the state of the vote, and it caryed first.