§ Mr. Chichester-Clarkasked the President of the Board of Trade whether in view of Northern Ireland's position as a centre of the man-made fibre industry, he will revise his list of raw materials exempted from the 15 per cent. surcharge to include imports not available in the United Kingdom and used in the manmade fibre industries.
§ Mr. DiamondI have been asked to reply.
The temporary import charge is intended to apply widely over the field of manufactured and semi-manufactured materials, whether or not they are produced in the United Kingdom. It would 107W not accord with the aim of the scheme, which is to improve the balance of payments situation, nor would it be equitable generally, to exempt particular materials on grounds such as the hon. Member has put forward.
§ Sir Knox Cunninghamasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will remove the 15 per cent. impost on raw materials needed for the production of man-made fibre by factories in South Antrim since this raw material can only be obtained from abroad.
§ Mr. DiamondI have been asked to reply. I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer to the previous Question.