HC Deb 21 February 1957 vol 565 cc683-5
Sir D. Eccles

I beg to move, in page 2, line 20, after "goods", to insert: (whether by grant, loan, tax relief or in any other way and whether related directly to the goods themselves, to materials of the goods or to something else). We put this Amendment down to meet the point raised by my hon. Friend the Member for Kidderminster (Mr. Nabarro), and I conclude from the fact that he has seen fit to make the gesture in public of adding his name to mine that he is content with my Amendment.

This was a point which the right hon. Member for Smethwick (Mr. Gordon Walker) also raised, and it touches the description of a subsidy. We thought that the Bill as it stood allowed every form of subsidy to be caught, but I saw the force of the argument from both sides of the House that we should go into some greater detail.

The right hon. Gentleman was particularly concerned that we should include in the definition of subsidy, finance provided for the production of raw materials. We thought we should go a little wider than that while we were about it, and we have made the description pretty well cover anything. In fact, the words are: (whether by grant, loan, tax relief or in any other way and whether related directly to the goods themselves, to materials of the goods or to something else)". I am bound to say that I was surprised when I saw the words "or to something else", but I am assured that certain circumstances could arise, which it is impossible to foresee now and which might necessitate the use of some such words. An example might be that some subsidised chemicals were dumped in another country and were used in the process of manufacture, and then changed their nature, and unless we have some phrase of this kind those would not be included.

I hope the Amendment meets with the wishes of the Committee as expressed during the previous stage.

Mr. Gerald Nabarro (Kidderminster)

I rise to thank my right hon. Friend very much indeed for giving effect in such comprehensive and spacious terms to the pair of Amendments moved and supported by a considerable number of my hon. Friends and myself earlier in the Committee stage.

I wish to say that my right hon. Friend has found a form of words which, though a part of them may appear to be little unusual in an Act of Parliament, certainly casts the net very wide indeed, and I believe will cover a substantial number of contingencies, remote or otherwise, apprehensions upon which were expressed in the earlier part of our Committee deliberations. I am very grateful to my Light hon. Friend for his help.

Amendment agreed to.

Motion made, and Question proposed, That the Clause, as amended, stand part of the Bill.

Mr. James Ramsden (Harrogate)

I should like to know whether my right hon. Friend could say a few words about the application of this Clause as it now stands to the problems of the leather industry, or of one section of that industry. The points that I have in mind were raised during an earlier stage by my hon. Friend the Member for Kidderminster (Mr. Nabarro)—

The Deputy-Chairman (Sir Gordon Touche)

Is the hon. Member speaking about the Clause as amended?

Mr. Ramsden

I am speaking of the effect of the Clause as it now stands.

The Deputy-Chairman

Only as affected by this Amendment, of course?

Mr. Ramsden

It may be that what I am trying to raise is not in order, but in view of the misunderstanding which I think was caused earlier on by my right hon. Friend, he might feel inclined to make one or two reassuring comments about the doubts which have been raised in the leather industry by this Bill and, particularly, by this Clause—points with which I think my right hon. Friend is perfectly familiar. I will not amplify them at the moment in case I am out of order in doing so.

Sir D. Eccles

I am afraid that I have to tell my hon. Friend the Member for Harrogate (Mr. Ramsden) that the Amendment does not alter the position as stated before, namely that the particular form of export control which has caused trouble to the leather industry in this country remains outside the scope of the Bill, as does the Indian export control over their raw cotton and our own treatment of steel.

Question put and agreed to.

Clause, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.