§ Mr. John Edenasked the President of the Board of Trade (1) for what reasons flaxboard imports into the United Kingdom are only subjected to an import duty of 10 per cent. whereas a duty of 20 per cent. is imposed on imported wood chipboard which is used for very much the same purpose; and whether he will now make the 20 per cent. duty uniform in respect of all imported boards so as to give greater encouragement to the production of such products in this country;
(2) in view of the fact that present imports of timber and timber products cost about £400 million a year and that present imports of hardboard, block-board and similar products amount to twice as much as is produced at home, what steps it is proposed to take in the near future to give greater encouragement to British timber-using industries.
§ Sir D. EcclesUnder the tariff in force prior to 1st January, 1959, wood chipboard was liable to a duty of 20 per cent. ad valorem under the general tariff heading for manufactures of wood. There was no similar general protective heading to include flaxboard, which was thus liable only to the 10 per cent. general ad valorem duty. These rates of duty have been retained in the new tariff in accordance with the Government's policy of transposing the tariff into Brussels Nomenclature form with as little change as possible in the general level of protection.
So far as tariff protection is concerned, if the industries affected submit an application to the Board of Trade for an increase in the present level of tariffs it will be considered on its merits.