§ 46. Mr. Peytonasked the Prime Minister if he will, at the next conference of Commonwealth Prime Ministers, raise the 952 question of duty-free entry into the United Kingdom of goods manufactured in Commonwealth countries particularly in those Dominions and Colonies where labour costs are much lower than those of this country.
§ The Prime MinisterAs my hon. Friend will understand, I cannot anticipate the discussions of the next Conference of Commonwealth Prime Ministers, which are in any event not made public in advance.
§ Mr. PeytonWill my right hon. Friend at least acknowledge that this problem is increasing for a number of British industries, and is he aware that in the case of the glove industry over the past five years the level of imports of gloves from Hong Kong into the United Kingdom have risen from a negligible level to a level very nearly equal to the whole of the home production? Is not this a very serious matter and one which demands the most urgent and immediate consideration and action from Her Majesty's Government?
§ The Prime MinisterI recognise that the free entry of Commonwealth and Colonial goods can give rise to difficulty in particular cases, but, as the House knows, these arrangements are part of a long established system for fostering Commonwealth and Empire trade, and I certainly would not be willing to make a pronouncement on that issue at Question Time.
§ Mr. AlbuWill the Prime Minister bear in mind that the underdeveloped countries cannot expect to be able to buy engineering equipment for their own development if they are not able to sell the goods to raise the money with which to buy that machinery?