HC Deb 05 February 1993 vol 218 cc393-4W
Mr. Wigley

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has made to the Government of the United States of America concerning duties imposed by the United States department of commerce on imports of flat rolled steel from the United Kingdom.

Mr. Needham

The provisional anti-dumping duties of 109.22 per cent. on British Steel exports of steel plate are unwarranted and wholly disproportionate.

The actions, brought by the highly protected US steel industry, will not help efforts to secure a much needed international settlement in the multilateral steel agreement negotiations.

The President of the Board of Trade has written to US Commerce Secretary Ron Brown urging him to focus on these matters at the earliest opportunity. The issue was raised at the Foreign Affairs Council on 2 February.

Mr. Barry Jones

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the recently imposed United States tariffs on steel imports.

Mr. Needham

The provisional anti-dumping duties of 109.22 per cent. on British Steel exports of steel plate are unwarranted and wholly disproportionate. They were in addition to the earlier countervailing duties imposed on United Kingdom exports of plate and bar. To penalise genuinely privatised companies which have not received subsidies for over six years is unfair and economically unsound.

The actions, brought by the highly protected US steel industry, will not help efforts to secure a much needed international settlement in the multilateral steel agreement negotiations.

The President of the Board of Trade has written to US Commerce Secretary Ron Brown urging him to focus on these matters at the earliest opportunity. The issue was raised at the Foreign Affairs Council on 2 February when the actions were condemned as unacceptable.