HC Deb 25 October 1956 vol 558 cc64-5W
50. Mr. Bottomley

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has a statement to make about his talks with the Canadian Minister of Trade.

Mr. P. Thornycroft

On my way to Washington last month, I took the opportunity to give Canadian Ministers in Ottawa a preliminary outline of the European free trade area proposals which have been the subject of earlier Questions. The considered views of the Canadian Government, as of other Commonwealth Governments, are now awaited.

57. Mr. Osborne

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give in tabular form the classes of goods that are subject to import duties and which would have to be reduced or abolished as a result of the United Kingdom entering the European Customs Union ; the rate per cent. of each duty ; and the volume of imports last year from each of the countries included in the proposed Free Trade Area of Europe.

Mr. P. Thorneycroft

I must emphasise that there is no question of the United Kingdom entering the European Customs Union ; it is not the alignment of our external tariffs with those of Europe which is being considered, but the creation within Europe of an area within which restrictions on the free exchange of manufactured goods will be progressively removed. It would not be practicable within the compass of this answer to tabulate the rates of duty chargeable on all goods which would be included in the suggested mutual free trade area. As regards the last part of the Question, it is not possible at this stage to say which countries would be members of the mutual free trade area if it were formed.