HC Deb 02 February 1956 vol 548 cc1056-7
11. Mr. Holt

asked the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has made to the Danish Government regarding their proposal to impose a substantial import duty on Lancashire textiles.

Mr. P. Thorneycroft

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Darwen (Mr. Fletcher-Cooke) on 26th January.

Mr. Holt

The right hon. Gentleman then said: … there is no ground on which Her Majesty's Government could base representations."—[OFFICIAL REPORT, 26th January. 1956; Vol. 548, c. 347.] Surely there are always grounds if it is in the interests of one of our industries to continue to export to another country. Would the right hon. Gentleman not agree that in Lancashire he has not exactly built up a reputation for helping the textile industry, and is not this one single thing he could do—to make representations to Denmark not to increase the tariff against textiles?

Mr. Thorneycroft

As I explained in a previous Answer, the Danes are only acting within a limit which they themselves negotiated.

Mr. Bottomley

Does not this indicate that if tariffs are put on Danish bacon there is retaliation and continuing rises in price?

14. Mr. Holt

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the present tariff policy in relation to the import of goods from Denmark.

Mr. P. Thorneycroft

Our tariff policy in relation to imports from Denmark, as from other foreign countries, is to provide where necessary, a fair and reasonable margin of protection for our own producers and to maintain preferences for trade with the Commonwealth.

Mr. Holt

Is it not an entirely new part of the right hon. Gentleman's policy to suggest that a 10 per cent. duty should now be put on bacon imports from Denmark? Is he not aware that if this results in an increase in the Danish tariff on textiles from Lancashire there will be very great indignation in Lancashire?

Mr. Thorneycroft

I think the hon. Member is trying to tempt me into making some comment on negotiations which are now proceeding.