HC Deb 12 March 1979 vol 964 cc35-7W
Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) what is the position of his Department on the new list of priority items for concession, in the paper and board field, tabled by the United States of America as part of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, Tokyo Round;

(2) whether his Department has received representations from the British Paper and Board Industry Federation concerning the current General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade negotiations with particular reference to the United States of America which is seeking further concessions in the tariff for kraft liner; and if he will make a statement;

(3) what response his Department will make to the EEC Commission's recommendation to the Council of Ministers that it should accept United States' demands for further concessions in the paper and board section, in particular kraft F grades and coated foodboard.

Mr. John Smith

As has been reported in the press, the United States has been pressing the Community in the multilateral trade negotiations for further concessions on certain paper tariffs, including the tariffs on kraft paper and board, and on coated foodboard. I regard the tariff cuts proposed by the United States as excessive, as also the extent to which the Commission proposes the Community should accede to them. I have indicated to the Commission that this is the British Government's view, and I am continuing to press for any concessions the Community makes to be as limited as possible.

I have received full and helpful representations from the British Paper and Board Industry Federation, with which my Department has had detailed discussions. Its views are being taken fully into consideration.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) whether his Department has made an assessment of the effect to the United Kingdom's balance of payments of granting further concessions to the United States of America in the paper and board sector, as recommended by the EEC Commission in the current negotiations on the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, Tokyo Round; and if he will make a statement;

(2) whether his Department has made any assessment of the unemployment which would result in the United Kingdom paper and board industry by granting to the United States of America further concessions in the paper and board sector in the current negotiations under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, Tokyo Round; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. John Smith

So far as my Department has been able to ascertain, any effects on the balance of payments of granting further concessions to the United States would be likely to occur gradually over the period 1980–88, during which any tariff reductions concerned would be phased in. I regret that it is not possible to quantify how large these effects might be.