HC Deb 03 July 1961 vol 643 cc976-7
2. Mr. Prior

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what consultations he is having with the President of the Board of Trade regarding trading agreements which allow large quantities of food to be imported at prices below the cost of production.

Mr. Soames

I keep in close touch with my right hon. Friend about all trade agreements affecting food and agricultural products. My right hon. Friend has powers under the Customs Duties (Dumping and Subsidies) Act, 1957, to take action against dumped or subsidised imports which are causing or threatening material injury to producers and when it is in the national interest to do so.

Mr. Prior

Is my right hon. Friend satisfied that the 1957 Customs Duties (Dumping and Subsidies) Act is working properly? Is he aware that this year we have had barley, eggs and dairy products dumped in this country? Will he consult his right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade again to see whether the existing legislation is strong enough to stand up to the dumping which is now going on and, if not, whether there should be fresh legislation to deal with it?

Mr. Soames

This is a major question to which a number of hon. Members referred and to which I also referred at some length during a recent debate on agriculture. Then these three products were considered. As my hon. Friend knows, there are applications before my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade for the imposition of anti-dumping legislation in respect of barley and dairy products. There is another Question on the Order Paper relating to eggs.

Mr. de Freitas

Does the Minister recall what has been mentioned before on several occasions, that the last time the Milk Marketing Board made an application, it was considered for five months before a decision was made? Surely there will be an effort to speed up things.

Mr. Soames

The present application has certainly not been before my right hon. Friend for months. I do not know the number of days, but it is not a month.

Mr. Ridsdale

In order to preserve the spirit of the 1947 Act, does not my right hon. Friend realise the need for speedy action to prevent Exchequer grants from becoming too high?

Mr. Soames

Yes, Sir, I quite agree that it is essential that we should be enabled to act fairly speedily. The major question for my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade is that of barley, which, if I remember rightly, has been under consideration for about a fortnight. Many consultations have to take place with overseas countries, but my right hon. Friend is anxious to make an announcement as soon as possible.