HC Deb 03 March 1953 vol 512 cc171-2
16. Mr. Shepherd

asked the President of the Board of Trade what duties and restrictive quotas are applied to British cotton piece goods entering India; and what duties and restrictive quotas are applied to Indian cotton piece goods entering the United Kingdom.

The Secretary for Overseas Trade (Mr. H. R. Mackeson)

The Indian Finance Minister announced changes in import duties to be imposed on all cotton piece goods in his Budget last Friday. I would prefer to await further detailed information by air mail before making a statement to the House. Import licences are not being issued at present for cotton piece goods other than sateens, velvets and velveteens.

Cotton piece goods manufactured in, and consigned from, India are duty free in the United Kingdom, and virtually all cotton piece goods entering the United Kingdom from India are unrestricted.

Mr. Shepherd

It is not clear that this arrangement between India and this country is entirely unsatisfactory so far as we are concerned? Can my hon. Friend say what steps the Government are taking to bring about a more equitable state of affairs?

Mr. Mackeson

As I have told my hon. Friend, my right hon. Friend must see the details of this Budget statement before we comment. So far we have seen only the telegrams.

Mr. Bottomley

Would not the Secretary for Overseas Trade agree that the present agreement with India is a good one and highly beneficial to this country, and that we should be very careful about what we are doing?

Mr. Mackeson

Certainly, we should be careful about commenting on this matter without seeing the full text.