HC Deb 10 November 1966 vol 735 c343W
82. Sir G. Nabarro

asked the President of the Board of Trade, in view of the facts that the Finnish authorities introduced in October, 1964 new hire purchase regulations which gave discriminatory benefit to cars imported from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics against those imported into Western Europe, and that Finland has a substantial balance of trade with the United Kingdom at an annual rate of £40 to £50 million and is an associate member of the European Free Trade Association, what steps he took at the Lisbon Conference to press the Finnish authorities to modify these hire-purchase arrangements, and with what result.

Mr. Jay

At Lisbon I concentrated on the more important matter of trying to secure an E.F.T.A. tariff preference for British cars exported to Finland and my Finnish colleague, though unable to promise a preference at present, undertook to consider the matter further.