HL Deb 27 March 1958 vol 208 cc492-4

3.10 p.m.

LORD SHEPHERD

My Lords, I beg to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether it is their understanding, if and when they negotiate trade agreements with other countries, that goods to be supplied under these agreements shall be manufactured wholly or in part in the countries concerned in the trade agreement, and whether they would make it a condition of such agreement that goods to be supplied under these agreements should be covered by a certificate of origin, or an invoice certifying that they have been wholly or partially manufactured in the country concerned in the agreement.]

LORD MANCROFT

My Lords, it is certainly our intention that quotas given to us under a trade agreement should be filled by our goods and not by goods from third countries. If in any instance there were evidence that goods from other countries were being imported against our quotas we should ask the Government concerned to take appropriate steps, including, if necessary, the use of certificates of origin, to put the matter right. There is no need, however, to ask for such arrangements in all cases, as the noble Lord suggests, and it would be unlikely to commend itself to the other Governments concerned. Moreover, it would in most cases impose a considerable extra burden of documentation upon our exporters. But if the noble Lord, Lord Shepherd, will give me the details of any particular cases lie has in mind, I will gladly have them investigated.

LORD SHEPHERD

My Lords, I would thank the noble Lord once again. On the question of re-exports, in his Answer to my first Question he gave the figure for re-exports to Japan as £1½ million. May I ask him whether that was covered by our own quotas? Secondly, he mentioned the added work involved in filling out these documents. Is the noble Lord aware that manufacturers and traders are very happy to do that when they can enjoy preferential treatment in the Commonwealth?

LORD MANCROFT

My Lords, I am afraid that I cannot answer the noble Lord's first supplementary question without notice. With regard to his second question, I will only say that there seems to be some conflict of opinion. I have heard a contrary view to the one he has just expressed.

VISCOUNT ELIBANK

My Lords, might I ask the noble Lord whether, if it were proved that in a particular case boxes had been bought by a certain country, and that the products of that country had been put into those boxes and the boxes then sold as of British origin, that would not be a reason for having a certificate of origin?

LORD MANCROFT

My Lords, it might well be.