HC Deb 03 November 1955 vol 545 cc127-8W
Mr. J. E. B. Hill

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a statement on the applications for increased import duties reported in the Board of Trade Journal on 7th February, 1953.

Mr. P. Thorneycroft

The Board of Trade has announced from time to time the receipt of applications for increased protective duties on the main classes of horticultural produce, and the House will recall that Orders have been made increasing a number of the duties. As regards the items included in the announcement referred to in the Question, some are still under consideration. H.M. Government have come to the conclusion that a case has not been made out for increased protection for the following:— Fresh fruit Cider apples. Fruit products Dried apples and pears. Fruit and fruit pulp, unsweetened, preserved by chemicals, artificial heat or artificial cold Cherries (pulp and preserved in sulphur dioxide or brine). Fruit preserved in syrup Cherries (i) stoned. (ii) not stoned preserved by a solution of sulphur dioxide and sugar. Loganberries. Fruit mixtures as defined in Part 4 of the Customs and Excise Tariff, i.e., Fruit salad, viz., mixtures of fruit preserved in syrup (but not including mixed fruit pulp) containing not less than four separate descriptions of fruit, in which each of at least four descriptions constitutes at least 8 per cent., and no one description represents more than 50 per cent, by weight of all the fruit in the mixture (excluding syrup) except where not less than 80 per cent. by weight of all the fruit in the mixture (excluding syrup) consists of all or any of the following fruits, viz.: Peaches, nectarines, pears, apricots, cherries.

Canned Vegetables

  • Asparagus.
  • Peas.

Other vegetables, excluding

  1. (i) tomatoes;
  2. (ii) beans, other than green beans or those in pod;
  3. (iii) maize including maize on the cob (sweet corn).

Vegetables Preserved in Salt or Brine

Onions other than silverskins.