§ 8. Mr. Leatherasked the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received from the Jamaican cigar industry regarding cigar imports; and whether he proposes any measures to assist the import of Jamaican cigars into the United Kingdom.
§ Sir K. JosephMy right hon. Friend has received no such representations recently. Jamaican cigars benefit from a duty preference and can be imported into the United Kingdom without restriction.
§ Mr. LeatherIs my hon. Friend aware that the main competition of this industry comes from Cuba and that the Cuban industry is making determined efforts to make up in this country the business which it has lost in the United States? Will he give the House an assurance that the Board of Trade will do nothing to assist it in those efforts, which could only be at the direct expense of the Jamaican industry?
§ Sir K. JosephI assure my hon. Friend and the House that the Jamaican interests will be strongly borne in mind. The House may like to know that, not precisely, but broadly, Jamaica is holding roughly its proportion of our home market.