§ 7. Mr. Biggs-Davisonasked the President of the Board of Trade from which Governments and organisations he has received representations regarding the dumping of butter in the United Kingdom.
§ Sir D. EcclesThe New Zealand Government and the National Farmers' Unions and Milk Marketing Boards of the United Kingdom have applied for anti-dumping or countervailing duties on imports of butter into the United Kingdom from certain countries. The applications have been supported by the Governments of Denmark and Kenya and opposed by the Governments of Finland, Sweden, the Irish Republic and Austria. Representations have also been made, both for and against the applications, by a number of individual firms and organisations.
§ Mr. Biggs-DavisonIs it not a long-established Conservative principle that first place should be given to the home producer and second place to the overseas Commonwealth producer? Will my right hon. Friend give very earnest and prompt attention to these representations from this country and New Zealand?
§ Sir D. EcclesWe are paying earnest attention to these representations.
§ 8. Mr. Biggs-Davisonasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has completed his consideration of the evidence for applying anti-dumping or countervailing duties under the Customs Duties (Dumping and Subsidies) Act, 1957, on imports of butter from Sweden and Finland.
§ Sir D. EcclesNo, Sir. The evidence submitted by the Governments and others concerned is very extensive, and I am not yet in a position to make a statement.
§ Mr. Biggs-DavisonDoes my right hon. Friend agree with this, at least: Sweden has been charging, at home, double the price charged for her butter in the United Kingdom, and Finland about two and a half times as much?
§ Sir D. EcclesIt is not difficult to prove the case in regard to dumping, but there are other criteria which have to be looked at.
§ Mr. TurtonWill my right hon. Friend bear in mind that general concern is felt in this country at the fact that the imports of butter from New Zealand dropped by about 9,000 tons last year, at a time when imports from non-traditional sources increased? Whereas we know that in New Zealand the internal consumer price is less than the export price, that is not the case in the non-traditional countries.
§ Sir D. EcclesI quite agree that New Zealand is a very efficient producer, and subsidises the consumption of butter in New Zealand.
§ Mr. WadeDoes the right hon. Gentleman agree that Britain should be very chary of imposing countervailing duties, since they might easily lead to a general raising of import duties all round, which would be harmful to Britain as well as to other countries? Is it not very much better to try to achieve an international agreement upon this subject, rather than to indulge in any form of economic warfare?
§ Sir D. EcclesWe want to find a solution which is both fair to the New Zealand producers, and effective.
§ Sir D. EcclesThere are seven Governments' submissions to be examined, and it will take a few weeks before we can thoroughly look into each one.