§ Mr. Welshasked the Secretary of State for Trade what is the present quantity of Portuguese timber imports into the United Kingdom compared with previous years; and what estimates he has of the effects of these and other imports on the home industry.
§ Mr. MeacherFollowing are the figures for imports of softwood, hardwood, woodbased panels, other timber and simply worked wood consigned from Portugal:
Thousand tonnes 1974 … … … … 305 1975 … … … … 151 1976 … … … … 290 1977 … … … … 314 These imports are not at present having a significant effect on the home market although reduced demand has led to some overcapacity in many sectors of the European wood processing industry.