§ LORD BARNBYMy 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, in pursuit of their repeated aims of further liberalisation of trade, they will now consider freeing the import of American automobiles but limiting them strictly to dimensions commensurate with the average of British produced automobiles which are conventionally suitable for British road conditions.]
§ THE EARL OF DUNDEEMy Lords, these controls were imposed for balance of payments reasons, and they will be removed as soon asthe circumstances permit. It would not be possible to justify their retention in order to restrict the use of large cars on British roads.
§ LORD BARNBYMy Lords, the noble Earl will be aware of the frequent complaints in both Houses of Parliament 4 about the import restrictions and practices employed in the United States. Would it not seem to him that there would be a good effect on Congress in the United States, where there is import restriction on top of a high protective tariff, and encourage them to lessen the protective tendencies, if evidence were given of relaxation on our part in a category like this?
§ THE EARL OF DUNDEEMy Lords, it is intended to remove import restrictions as soon as the balance of payments position makes that possible. The present quota of 650 cars from America is, in fact, not fully taken up. It would not be possible to differentiate between large and small cars as the noble Lord's Question suggests. If we think it is a bad thing to have large cars on the roads we should have to prohibit large British cars as well as American. To discriminate in favour of big British cars would be unjustifiable.