HC Deb 17 June 1965 vol 714 cc874-5
16. Mr. Bruce-Gardyne

asked the President of the Board of Trade what answer he has received from the United States Government to his request that all tariffs on motor cars imported into the United States of America should be abolished, in order that the abolition of motor car tariffs bilaterally between the United States of America and Canada should be made consistent with Article 1 of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.

Mr. Jay

The matter is still under discussion between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of the United States of America.

Mr. Bruce-Gardyne

Does not the right hon. Gentleman think that five months is rather a long time for these discussions? Can he assure the House that the Government are not inhibited in pressing these discussions by the fact that they have been in breach of G.A.T.T. themselves for seven months?

Mr. Jay

Five months or seven months may be a long time, but I am sure that the hon. Gentleman realises that the United States have not yet put these arrangements into effect while the discussions are going on. We are in consultation with the United States Government and we hope that they will take account of the proposals which we have put to them.