§ Sir K. Josephasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that, the ad valorem tariff on United Kingdom imports from Japan of woven cloth and similar products is 17½ per cent., comparable to the equivalent Japanese tariff of 18 per cent. that the Japanese also impose a specific minimum duty on medium and cheaper types of cloth, equivalent to an ad valorem incidence near 60 per cent. and whether it is Government policy to harmonise effective impact of tariffs before liberalisation of wool cloth trade with Japan.
§ Mrs. Gwyneth DunwoodyWe are aware that the tariffs are not identical.
The Japanese tariffs of 18 per cent. and 16 per cent. (according to the weight of cloth) are due to be reduced under the Kennedy Round to 15 per cent. and 10 per cent. respectively. The alternative specific duty is also due to be reduced. 289W There will be no K.R. reduction in the British ad valorem tariff.
We are aware that the woollen industry feels some anxiety about the Japanese specific alternative which affects cloth in the cheaper price ranges and we are discussing this with the Japanese.