HC Deb 26 April 1967 vol 745 cc1606-7
56. Mr. Dance

asked the President of the Board of Trade what action has been taken on the application made by the Egg Marketing Board in March for the imposition of an anti-dumping duty under the Customs Duties (Dumping and Subsidies) Act, 1957.

82. Mr. Godber

asked the President of the Board of Trade what reply he has sent to the request of the Egg Marketing Board to ban the import of Polish eggs under the anti-dumping legislation.

Mr. Jay

On 13th April, the Egg Marketing Board requested action pending an application. It was told that antidumping action could not be taken unless and until evidence was provided to satisfy the Board of Trade that dumped imports were causing or threatening material injury to the British producers. I received an application from the Egg Marketing Board yesterday which is being examined.

Mr. Dance

I am grateful that the right hon. Gentleman is examining this, but is he aware that putting in these applications is a complicated business and takes a tremendous amount of time? Will he please try to remedy this and make it more simple, and take action to see that the dumping of Polish eggs does not go on, as this badly affects our home producers?

Mr. Jay

It is as simple as possible under the present law, but by our antidumping legislation we are bound to lay down certain conditions.

Mr. Godber

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there are real difficulties here, and that in fact relatively small imports can do a great deal of harm? Will he deal with the matter urgently, because not only does it affect the Egg Board and also the producer, but also indirectly the Treasury?

Mr. Jay

Now that we have the applications we shall certainly deal with them as speedily as we can.