§ Mr. Leslie Huckfieldasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will amend import duties to prevent the duty of over £800 being imposed on Sterling Metals Limited of Nuneaton, following the import of a tool for educational purposes only which would have assisted technological progress throughout the country.
§ Mr. JayNo. The import concerned does not fulfil the conditions required if relief from duty is to be granted under the provisions of the Import Duties Act, 1958.
I am not contemplating amending the legislation, nor would this be of help to Sterling Metals Ltd. as its provisions 319W could not in any event be made retrospective. Nor would it be possible within the criteria of present legislation to reduce the tariff on all imports of this type of equipment.