§ Mr. NormanTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the Government's policy on the continuation of the EU import tariff on video recorders; and what representations on this it has received in the last 12 months. [100278]
§ Mr. CabornThe Government's broad policy objective is to maximise the liberalisation of industrial tariffs world-wide including those of the EU. The consumer electronics industry has indicated, in response to a DTI consultative document on future tariff liberalisation published in May and on other occasions, that in exchange for greatly improved access to third-country markets it would welcome tariff reductions world-wide, including by the EU, on video recorders and all other consumer electronics.