Barley (Hansard, 20 July 1961)

§ 21. Mr. P. Browne
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the increased cost to the Exchequer in the first six months of 1961, as compared to the same period of 1960, as a result of the dumping of barley in the United Kingdom at a price below the cost of production in the country of origin.

§ The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Mr. Christopher Soames)
The effect of dumped or subsidised imports of barley on the Exchequer liability under the guarantee cannot be isolated from the many factors which determine the market price of home-grown barley. For example, whilst the average price of home-grown barley in the first six months of 1961 was about 3s. per cwt. less than in the corresponding period of 1960, it must be remembered that the crop was a quarter of a million tons bigger and harvested under far less favourable conditions than the 1959 crop.

§ Mr. Browne
Is my right hon. Friend aware of the general satisfaction which is felt by farmers at the steps which have been taken to stop the dumping of barley in this country? Is he satisfied that plans to prevent Russian barley from coming in are finalised and satisfactory? Looking to the future, has he had an opportunity to consult the trade to find out whether it is prepared to take up all of the 1961 home-grown barley crop?

§ Mr. Soames
Yes, Sir. I had a meeting with the trade yesterday and I was given an assurance that it would do its best to take up the whole of this year's crop from our own farms. Russian imports are a matter for my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade.

§ Mr. Shinwell
Has any of this dumped barley come from the countries of the Six? Is so, why has not that been stopped?

§ Mr. Soames
France was exporting barley to us. My right hon. Friend has arranged that no French barley shall come here below the price of £20 a ton.

§ Mr. Bullard
In view of the fact that the cost of this dumped barley falls on the Exchequer rather than on the producer, will my right hon. Friend consult our mutual right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade with a view to altering the arrangements so that it is no longer incumbent on the producer but rather on the Government to establish a case of dumping and so eliminate the delay which occurs at present?

§ Mr. Soames
It is incumbent on the Government to establish a case once application has been made, but part of the case is that damage must have been done to a particular industry. As my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade has frequently said, before it can be established that damage has been done to a particular industry it must put in an application.