HC Deb 08 March 1956 vol 549 cc2299-300
28. Captain Pilkington

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many radios and radiogramophones were imported from Germany in 1954 and 1955.

Mr. P. Thorneycroft

7,872 complete radio sets in 1954 and 27,073 in 1955. Figures for complete radiogramophones were 143 and 1,219.

Captain Pilkington

Has my right hon. Friend received any representations from the makers in this country, in view of the tremendous increase over last year?

Mr. Thorneycroft

I do not think so. The tariff is, in fact, the same both ways—20 per cent. in this country and 20 per cent. in Germany.

Mr. Bottomley

Is not this another example of lack of policy by Her Majesty's Government? Would the right hon. Gentleman not agree that the extreme measures doing away with hire-purchase restrictions altogether resulted in this vast increase of imports from Germany?

Mr. Thorneycroft

I am glad to have the support of the right hon. Gentleman for our measures increasing hire-purchase restrictions.