§ 13. Mr. Jayasked the President of the Board of Trade which of the principal raw materials used by British industry, and now imported duty free, would bear an import duty under the common external tariff of the European Common Market; and what is the rate of duty in each case.
§ Mr. MaudlingUnwrought aluminium, woodpulp and newsprint, on which the common tariff is 10 per cent., 6 per cent. 187 and 7 per cent., respectively, are the principal raw materials which are dutiable under the common tariff and which enter the United Kingdom free of duty from all sources.
§ Mr. JayCan the President of the Board of Trade say whether there are other raw materials on which import tariffs would have to be placed if we were to accept the common external tariff as it now stands?
§ Mr. MaudlingThere are also raw materials which come in duty-free from the Commonwealth and which are dutiable from other sources, such as lead, zinc, tungsten and molybdenum.
§ Mr. JayIs it not well that the country, and also the Liberal Party, should understand that adherence to the Rome Treaty as it now stands would mean placing an import tax on all these important raw materials? Cannot the President of the Board of Trade give an assurance to the House that the Government will not accept import duties on these raw materials since this would clearly raise costs throughout British industry?
§ Mr. MaudlingI should be unwise to go further than to say that these are extremely important issues in deciding one of the great questions facing this country in the near future.