HC Deb 12 March 1959 vol 601 cc1440-1
27. Mr. Hirst

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he has taken to ensure that the case of the British wool industry has been fully deployed before the appropriate authorities in the United States of America, seeing that the tariff quota at last year's level reduced our exports of wool cloth to the United States market by £4,250,000 compared with 1956.

Sir D. Eccles

Her Majesty's Government have made strong and repeated representations over the past two years about the unfair and damaging effects of the tariff quota on our exports. We have consistently urged the United States Government to take action to remedy this grievance.

Mr. Hirst

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the British wool industry will be grateful for the strong representations which have been made, and in particular for the speech which he made yesterday to the American Chamber of Commerce? Can he, in addition, assure me that the representations have underlined the fact that the switch of American textile interests from wool to synthetic materials and mixtures thereof has, paradoxically, further reduced the quota for British wool textiles?

Sir D. Eccles

I am sorry to say it has, because it has reduced the American domestic production on which the total of the 25 per cent. quota is based.

Mr. Jay

While I also agree with what the right hon. Gentleman said yesterday, may I ask whether he agrees that it is a pity that, both in the matter of the machine tools last autumn and the payment of legacies made a fortnight ago, the Government have made unilateral concessions to the United States without getting anything in return? Have they not learned hat in this matter, as in others unilateral disarmament does not pay?

Sir D. Eccles

It actually did pay, because the machine tools were wanted by British industry to make it more efficient.

Mr. Jay

Why could not the Government have got something in return for those exports in the way of contracts for the British wool industry?

Sir D. Eccles

That would not have been a possible negotiation.