§ Mr. Morganasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on his policy with regard to Customs duty upon imported scientific equipment of types to which no comparable British instruments are produced.
§ Mr. RedheadThe powers of the Board of Trade to recommend relief of import duty for scientific instruments and apparatus are defined in Section 6 of the Import Duties Act, 1958 and paragraph 1(c) of the Fourth Schedule: the rules and conditions relating to applications for relief are set out in Notice No. 340 by the Board of Trade and the Commissioners of Customs and Excise, a copy of which I am sending to the hon. Member.
The Board may also recommend relief from import duty for equipment for scientific research of a non-commercial nature under Section 6 of the Act and 34W paragraph 3 of the Fourth Schedule: the rules relating to this provision are set out in Notice No. 342, a copy of which I am also sending to the hon. Member. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has tabled an Amendment to the Finance Bill which would have the effect of providing for a similar relief of the temporary import charge.