§ Captain Kerbyasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that his imposition of the 60 per cent. Purchase Tax and 50 per cent. hire-purchase deposit on domestic refrigerators has so narrowed home market sales that manufacturers are unable to produce in sufficient quantity to bring down production costs, with the result that it is impossible to export large quantities of refrigerators to Canada, at competitive prices, without incurring the high Canadian antidumping duty which operates if the manufacturers' list price, less allowed discounts, is any lower than the British list price: and if he will make a statement on his policy in regard to export of refrigerators.
§ Sir D. Eccles:I am aware of the arguments put forward, by this as well as by other industries, against these measures. The relaxation of existing restraints must, however, depend on our success in improving our general economic position. Meanwhile, I am glad to inform my hon. and gallant Friend that the industry has succeeded in maintaining a high level of exports. In particular, there has been no marked fall in exports to Canada. The figures are:
Exports of domestic refrigerators to Canada 1955 … … … £87,222 1956 … … … £85,498 Total Exports of domestic refrigerators 1955 … … … £7,610,000 1956 … … … £6,756,000