§ 21. Mr. de Freitasasked the President of the Board of Trade what action he has taken about the complaints of the Milk Marketing Board concerning the dumping of milk products.
§ Mr. MaudlingThe Board of Trade received last night an application from the Milk Marketing Board for action under the Customs Duties (Dumping and 1374 Subsidies) Act, 1957, in respect of certain milk products. This is being considered.
§ Mr. de FreitasIs the Minister aware that the last time the Board made such an application, I think in 1958, it took nearly five months for his Department to make up its mind and to reach a decision? Will he try to do better this time and remember that the agricultural producer is as much entitled as the industrial producer to protection against dumping of goods below the cost of production?
§ Mr. MaudlingCertainly the agricultural producer is entitled to as much protection, and I am certain that he gets just as much protection, as any industrial producer. But we have also the interests of the consumer and the exporter to take into account. The Act provides that we must have regard not only to the degree of dumping but also to the question of material injury and the wider question of the national interest. According to the Statute we must consider all these things.