§ 13. Mr. Winnickasked the President of the Board of Trade, in view of the removal of the import surcharge on 30th November and the consequent danger of an increase in imports, what further steps are being taken to persuade private and public concerns to purchase British made items during the present economic difficulties.
§ Mr. JayI would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for Chigwell (Mr. Biggs-Davison) on 25th October.—[Vol. 734, c. 823–4.]
§ Mr. WinnickIs it not a fact that a number of large concerns, both in the public and in the private sector, tend to buy imported goods without even bothering to find out whether there are any British made substitutes? Can the Board 1551 of Trade be rather more dynamic in dealing with this problem?
§ Mr. JayI do not think that the practice to which my hon. Friend refers is very general, but I hope that where price and quality are reasonably equal all British consumers will prefer British goods.
§ Mr. Arthur LewisIs my right hon. Friend aware that, even with the import surcharge, during last year just on £4 million sterling was spent on importing one-armed bandits, juke boxes, and so on? Surely, if these things are necessary, as they can be made here people ought to be told not to import them, and my right hon. Friend should take some action to try to prevent it?
§ Mr. JayI cannot confirm my hon. Friend's exact figure without notice, but we have to remember that we, too, are exporters of quite a number of rather inessential goods.
§ Mr. BarberDoes the right hon. Gentleman agree that the Daily Express "Buy British" campaign is a laudable one, or does he subscribe to the view expressed by the Prime Minister that the Daily Express is an irresponsible newspaper?
§ Mr. JayI think that it is a laudable campaign. I said so in the Daily Express when it was published, and so did the Prime Minister shortly afterwards, also publicly.