HC Deb 12 March 1979 vol 964 cc12-3
8. Mr. Marten

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will make a statement on the latest position concerning duty-free quotas for paper and carton exports from Norway to the United Kingdom.

Mr. Meacher

The quota for uncoated mechanical printing and writing paper has been increased by 2,730 tonnes to 34,705 tonnes, and the quota for miscellaneous paper and board has been increased by 670 tonnes to 2,427 tonnes.

Mr. Marten

Does that amount to the increased maximum? Secondly, should we not be trying to exercise a rather more liberal policy towards our old EFTA friends in these matters?

Mr. Meacher

It does not amount to the permitted maximum, which is 5 per cent. under the EEC-EFTA agreement of 1972. It amounts to about 2 per cent., which was the agreed increase for this year, agreed at the end of last year. Taking into account the state of the British paper industry as well as the requirements of United Kingdom users and also our treaty obligations to our EFTA partners under that agreement, we believe this to be the maximum which we could afford consistent with our commitments to our own industry. I should add that Norway does better than any of the other EFTA countries, because about 84 per cent. of all its paper sendings to this country come in duty-free.