§ 2.55 p.m.
§ LORD LUCAS OF CHILWORTHMy Lords, I beg to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are aware of the concern of importers of British motor cars in Nigeria caused by the action of the Nigerian Government in importing American motor cars at dollar cost when British cars are abundantly available, and further, will they appreciate that with so many markets import restricted British exporters have increasingly to rely upon markets of this nature.]
§ THE EARL OF SELKIRKMy Lords, my noble friend has asked me to give the following reply. No expressions of concern from importers of British cars in Nigeria have reached Her Majesty's Government. The need to expand British exports is certainly well understood and is, indeed, in the forefront of Her Majesty's Government's policy for this industry. But the Nigerian Government consider that at present American cars are more suitable than British cars to conditions in certain parts of the territory, and after consultation with Her Majesty's Government they have been permitting limited imports this year for allocation to persons engaged in essential work involving travel over long distances and bad roads.
§ LORD LUCAS OF CHILWORTHMy Lords, would the noble Earl not agree that a drop of 20 per cent. in the import of comparable British motor cars—and I stress the words "comparable British motor cars"—into Nigeria should have been sufficient to cause concern to Her Majesty's Government, let alone to the importers of British cars in Nigeria? Is the noble Earl further aware that in relation to the cars which he says, or implies, are not suitable for the roads or the conditions in Nigeria, one of the principal losers has been the British car which has just broken the record from London to Cape Town across South Africa, by eight and a half days; and that the other car which is a principal loser by this dollar release for the import of American motor cars is a British motor car which has had an outstanding success in the North American markets? I certainly hope that Her Majesty's Government will give added attention to this problem, which is threatening to grow.
§ THE EARL OF SELKIRKMy Lords, I can assure the noble Lord that Her Majesty's Government are giving full attention to this point, and are in very close touch with the motor manufacturing industry. They do, however, consider that they are unable to resist entirely the request of the Nigerian Government to purchase a limited number of American motor cars for certain special tasks. I may add, further, that they are satisfied, or at least they are given to understand, that the new British cars are likely to meet the requirements of Nigeria more fully than some have done in the past.
§ EARL JOWITTDoes the fact that Her Majesty's Government feel that they cannot resist this request mean that Her Majesty's Government are satisfied that there is no British car which is as suitable as American cars to withstand the conditions of Nigerian roads?
§ THE EARL OF SELKIRKThat is correct. For certain types of long-distance road conditions and climate, Her Majesty's Government are satisfied that the Nigerian request is reasonable.
§ EARL JOWITTI assume that that has been brought to the notice of the British car manufacturers in order that they may remedy the defects, if there be defects?
§ THE EARL OF SELKIRKCertainly.
THE MARQUESS OF WILLINGDONMy Lords, may I ask whether this has been done in spite of the tremendous battle of the dollar gap? Surely Nigeria is as much concerned with this problem as is every other part of the Empire. Is not the root of the trouble that certain people, the armchair critics, think it is still clever to run down British goods, and especially British motor car manufacturers? Have these critics ever tried British cars on test in every part of Africa, as those who manufacture them have done?
§ THE EARL OF SELKIRKMy Lords, this is certainly part of the dollar gap problem. The noble Marquess will appreciate that Nigeria is a big earner of dollars in her own right, and it is for that reason that certain considerations have to be given to her requirements. So far as running down British cars is concerned, I am sure that Her Majesty's Government would never do so. We are satisfied that British cars can meet fair competition in the fields where they are supreme.
§ LORD LUCAS OF CHILWORTHMy Lords, I am grateful for the last statement that British motor cars can meet fair competition. But will the noble Earl please look into this matter, and satisfy himself that this is not unfair competition? The noble Earl has just made a statement that Her Majesty's Government are in touch with the British motor industry. May I ask whether he has represented to the British motor industry that British cars are unsuitable to the extent that the Government have to release dollars for the importation of hundreds of American motor cars into Nigeria—at a time when Commonwealth Prime Ministers are in this country trying to stop such leakages as this?
§ THE EARL OF SELKIRKI will certainly look into the matter, but it has already been fully discussed with the motor manufacturing industry, and I think they are fully aware of the attitude of both the Nigerian Government and other Colonial Governments in regard to this matter.
THE MARQUESS OF WILLINGDONMy Lords, can the Minister state the names of these American cars which are said to be so far superior to British cars, 998 because the British cars are said to be completely unsuitable for the roads of Nigeria and other parts of Africa?
§ THE EARL OF SELKIRKThat I cannot say.