CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (SPEECH)

HC Deb 01 March 1966 vol 725 cc1098-9

Q8. Mr. Box

asked the Prime Minister whether the Chancellor of the Exchequer's public speech to the Cardiff Fabian Society on Friday, 14th January, 1966, about the import surcharge, represents the policy of Her Majesty's Government.

The Prime Minister

Yes, Sir

Mr. Box

Does this mean that the Government have abandoned their warnings that the so-called "temporary" surcharge should not be used as a protective tariff by industry in the future?

The Prime Minister

My right hon. Friend's speech was mainly about the interesting subject of leasehold, but he referred in the course of the speech to one Cardiff firm which had shown great success in building up its efficiency which would enable it to compete without the help of the surcharge. Like my right hon. Friend—indeed, I said this when the surcharges were imposed—I believed that there always was a danger that some people would regard this as "feather bedding". I think that my right hon. Friend's example was a good one—that of somebody being enterprising about it.