HC Deb 07 December 1964 vol 703 cc1237-9
Mr. MacDermot

I beg to move Amendment No. 12, in page 14, line 30, at the end to insert:

33.01 … … Essential oils (turpeneless or not); concretes and absolutes; resinoids.
This is one of those Amendments where we show how unfrozen we are, that our briefs do not all advise "Reject", that we listen to reasoned cases when they are made by hon. Members opposite, that we are open to argument and persuasion and, when we are convinced that Amendments put forward are ones which we can accept in accordance with principle and proper administration, we do so. We gave an undertaking to move these Amendments to put in slightly more correct form Amendments moved by the hon. Member for Ilford, South (Mr. Cooper). I am glad to do so.

Amendment agreed to.

Amendment moved: In page 14, line 42, at end insert:

38.07 … … Spirits of turpentine and other terpenic solvents; crude dipentene; sulphite turpentine; pine oil.
38.08 … … Rosin and resin acids and derivatives; rosin spirit and rosin oils.—[Mr. MacDermot.]

12 m.

Mr. Robert Cooke (Bristol, West)

I hope that I am in order in saying a word or two, because the Amendment comes as a result of the activities of my hon. Friend the Member for Ilford, South (Mr. Cooper) and it concerns very much some constituents of mine. I hope that the Government will not find themselves in the position of having to do this sort of thing in future.

The point which concerned my constituents particularly was the question of turpentine, rosin and resin, and so on. That might not at first glance appear to be a liquid with which Bristol is much concerned. Those constituents of mine were most concerned about the uncertainty about these products, which are vitally necessary in papermaking, I believe.

At one o'clock last Thursday afternoon they rang me up in a great state of distress because they understood, or had heard a rumour, that there were to be certain exemptions, or that undertakings had been given late on Wednesday night, and they could not possibly have the OFFICIAL REPORT in their hands, since it would not be published till Saturday morning, in spite of the activities of the Postmaster-General to bring things more up to date; and Saturday morning is not a working day. Although my constituents are naturally grateful to find that this exemption has been made, there was no way, apparently, for their knowing it was to be made, and it would appear that they would not have been in these difficulties if these substances had been exempted in the first place.

I understand, also, that the Government found themselves unable to include myrcene in the exemptions and did not give any very satisfactory reasons for so doing. I understand that if this substance were to be allowed in it would save us a bill of from £1 million to £2 million in foreign currency which now will have to be paid. I would have thought that in this technological age the Government would have seen fit to make the fruits of this technological advance available in this country without the impost which is being proposed.

I could have enlarged at great length on this subject, but I hope that hon. Members will not stimulate me into further conversation on this subject because I know the House is anxious to hear my right hon. Friend the Member for Barnet (Mr. Maudling) on the Third Reading of the Bill. Of course, my constituents are delighted to find they are not to be penalised on this particular occasion, but surely this is just another example of something which should never have been done in the first place. Will the Government keep an open mind with regard to future exemptions, which, I understand, can be made by order, without requiring further legislation? Will they bear that in mind in the future?

Amendment agreed to.