§ Mr. Gouldasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the reduction in United Kingdom export prices required to compensate for the loss of tariff and other preferences in the Irish Republic, EFTA and the Commonwealth.
§ Mr. Meacher,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 10th January 1977], gave the following information:
We continue to enjoy broadly the same free access to the Irish Republic and EFTA as before accession to the EEC. As regards the Commonwealth, some preferences have been lost, some are in process of being phased out and some remain. The estimate requested would rest on unquantifiable assumptions and be disproportionately costly to make, since a wide variety of concessions and a multitude of tariff rates is involved. However, it would probably be small.