HC Deb 19 November 1957 vol 578 c26W
82. Mr. Hector Hughes

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state in detail how the proposed European Free Trade Area will affect the Scottish shipbuilding, ship-repairing and fishing industries.

Mr. Vaughan-Morgan

Shipbuilding and ship-repairing in Europe are not at present much affected by tariffs or quotas, and the creation of a European Free Trade Area should, therefore, not have any substantial effect one way or the other on the position of the Scottish industry. As regards the position of the fishing industry, I cannot add anything to what was said in the statement on the problems of agriculture which was made last month by my right hon. Friend the Paymaster-General to the Council of O.E.E.C. This statement was circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT by the Prime Minister in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Norfolk, South (Mr. J. E. B. Hill) on 29th October.