HC Deb 14 November 1949 vol 469 cc171-2W
50. Mr. Platts-Mills

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many import tariffs have been reduced by the United States Government following upon the statement of policy contained in the Tripartite Communiqué made at the end of the financial discussions held in Washington in September.

Mr. Mayhew

This communiqué stated that it is the policy of the United States Government to seek further negotiation of trade agreements through which tariff reductions, additional to those already negotiated, might be made within the framework of the Reciprocal Trade Agreements Act. Steps are in fact being taken under the auspices of the contracting parties to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade for the holding of a further round of multilateral tariff negotiations next year in which the United States and the United Kingdom as well as other countries, will participate. I am not aware of any reductions of United States tariffs having been made in recent weeks.