§ 8. Mr. Wyattasked the President of the Board of Trade what regulations he has made regarding the import of coal and steel; and on what principles they are applied.
§ Mr. ErrollThe general policy of Her Majesty's Government is to refrain from using import controls for the purpose of restricting imports. Coal and a few other limited categories of goods are nevetheless still controlled by import licensing. Steel is at present on open general licence from all sources.
As regards coal imports, I have nothing to add to the Answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Power on 15th May.
§ Mr. WyattDoes that mean that the Government have not yet decided whether the Steel Company of Wales should be allowed to import coal from America? Is it not the case that steel is protected by a 10 per cent. tariff and that coal is not? Is it not, therefore, unreasonable to allow the import of coal to compete with British coal, unprotected by a tariff, whereas steel cannot be imported in the same way?
§ Mr. ErrollI should like the hon. Gentleman again to read what my right hon. Friend the Minister of Power said on 15th May. He said:
Because of the importance of the issues involved, I do not expect to make an early statement about the Government's policy on coal imports."—[OFFICIAL REPORT, 15th May, 1961; Vol. 640, c. 899.]I have nothing to add today on that subject.Steel imports are on open general licence from all sources, subject generally to a tariff of 10 per cent. or alternative specific duty, but there are one or two temporary exemptions.
§ Mr. WyattIn making this decision, will the Government bear in mind that steel is protected by a 10 per cent. tariff? It is all very well to say that the National Coal Board can import steel if it likes, but it cannot do so on the same favourable terms as the Steel Company of Wales can import coal.
§ Mr. ErrollI regret that I do not quite follow the hon. Gentleman's reasoning but I will study in HANSARD what he has said.