§ 48. Mr. Dickensasked the President of the Board of Trade what proposals he has for reducing the rising trend of manufactured imports into the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. JayThe Government are pursuing a wide range of policies designed to increase competitive home production in order to save imports and to expand exports.
§ Mr. DickensThat is very interesting, but does my right hon. Friend realise that imports in the first six months of this year were 5 per cent. higher than in the first six months of 1966, despite economic stagnation at home? Is he aware that much of these imports were in manufacturing? How long is this to go on? Will not my right hon. Friend take steps now to introduce selective Import controls?
§ Mr. JayI believe that the figures of imports to date confirm what I have always said; that the effects of the import surcharge were much larger than hon. Gentlemen opposite were willing to admit. As to the present situation, I do not believe that we should place too much emphasis on figures relating to only a few recent months.
§ Mr. Fletcher-CookeCould the right hon. Gentleman say—and perhaps name two or three of them—what are the wide range of measures which he mentioned?
§ Mr. JayOne is the work of the little N.E.D.C.s, of which there are very many —certainly more than two or three. I do not think that I need give the House the whole list.
§ Mr. HooleyIs my right hon. Friend aware that while imports of raw materials and machinery in the earlier part of this year went down compared with similar periods in previous years, imports of consumer goods have gone up? Is not this a most dangerous and unsatisfactory trend?
§ Mr. JayThis is, no doubt, due to the fact that there has been some falling off in private investment in the present year, and this affects imports as well as home production.
§ Sir Frank PearsonCan the right hon. Gentleman say which of these many measures has effective application to the Lancashire textile industry?
§ Mr. JayThe most obvious is the survey into productivity and efficiency in the industry which, as the hon. Gentleman presumably knows, is now being conducted by the Textile Council.
§ Sir Harmar NichollsIs it not dangerous for the right hon. Gentleman to try to whitewash the effects of the surcharge? Was not one effect in respect of exports to the E.F.T.A. countries, an effect much greater than he is prepared to admit?
§ Mr. McNamaraWould my right hon. Friend care to publish the facts and figures showing if any significant progress has been made by the Government in import saving industries?
§ Mr. JayI will certainly consider that suggestion. This is, of course, determined by the whole progress of the little N.E.D.C.s, the work of the Ministry of Technology, the investment grants and a whole range of other measures.