HC Deb 29 April 1970 vol 800 cc1242-3
27 and 28. Mr. James Davidson

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he has concluded his investigations into the alleged dumping of calcium ammonium nitrate originating in the Federal Republic of Germany; and if he will now make a statement;

(2) by what amount the wholesale price of calcium ammonium nitrate on the West German home market exceeds that of the same product allegedly clumped at United Kingdom ports.

Mrs. Gwyneth Dunwoody

The provisional anti-dumping charge of £9 per ton indicates our provisional estimate of the difference between West German domestic prices and its export prices to the United Kingdom. The precise difference will be determined as part of the full investigation of the anti-dumping application which we hope to complete during the next month.

Mr. Davidson

Is it fair to say that the anti-dumping duty was imposed both hastily and unfairly by the Government? The timing was extremely bad, and many small firms, as a result, have been forced to default on their contracts or accept severe losses. This has had a very bad effect on the agricultural industry and on small firms in rural areas.

If I may ask a supplementary question on my second Question, is the Minister aware that one of the applicants for the imposition of this anti-dumping duty recently refused an order by a merchant in the North-East of Scotland for 3,000 tons of nitrate fertiliser and yet shortly afterwards applied for the imposition of an anti-dumping duty?

Mrs. Dunwoody

The hon. Gentleman has a very interesting line of reasoning He says that when the Board of Trade takes action against dumped goods which causes inconvenience to farmers, it is acting totally against the interests of agriculture, but, when it suits him, he talks about " dumped " agricultural products. He cannot have it both ways. Dumping is dealt with in the Customs Duties (Dumping and Subsidies) Act, and the same criteria apply to industrial goods and to agricultural produce.

Mr. Paget

Why not? Is it really necessary to protect the I.C.I. against European competition? Why should we refuse—by calling it dumping—a very pleasant present from the West Germans which is of value to our agriculture?

Mrs. Dunwoody

I simply cannot accept that reasoning. Presents that are brought in at unfair trading prices in the long run do not assist our industries. We are not protecting the large companies but simply making sure that trading conditions are honest and fair.