HC Deb 21 July 1971 vol 821 cc313-5W
Sir R. Russell

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for which groups of agricultural, horticultural and industrial tariffs the details of phasing-out of Commonwealth preference and the phasing-in of Community preference have been worked out ; and if he will give an example of how the change over will work, in the event of Great Britain joining the Six.

Mr. Rippon

The White Paper (Command 4715) sets out in full in para-

Base duty 1st April, 1973 1st January, 1974 1st January, 1975 1st January, 1976 1st July, 1977
Imports from :
E.E.C 9 7.2 5.4 3.6 1.8 0
Commonwealth 0 0 2.8 4.2 5.6 7
On a specimen horticultural commodity, walnuts, the rates would be :-
Base duty 31st December, 1973 31st December, 1974 31st December, 1975 31st December, 1976 31st December, 1977
Imports from :
E.E.C 10.0 8.0 60 4.0 20 0
Commonwealth 0 1.6 3 2 4.8 6.4 80

I would also refer my hon. Friend to paragraphs 97 to 101 of the White Paper (Cmnd. 4715), which relate to further arrangements influencing trade between Britain as a member of an enlarged Community and the Commonwealth.

Mr. Shore

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish, in tabular form as in Table 2, page 24 of Command Paper No. 4715, comparable figures for the contribution to the Community Budget made by each of the existing members of the European Economic Community.

Mr. Anthony Royle

In the White Paper Her Majesty's Government pub

NUMBERS OF UNEMPL0Y THE EDIN MEN AND WOMEN REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED AT EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGES IN BURGH TRAVEL-TO-WORK AREA
June, 1971 June, 1970
Men Women Men Women
Edinburgh 4,464 503 3,666 457
Dalkeith 618 103 515 97
Leith 1,800 176 1,349 125
Loanhead 462 116 393 83
Musselburgh 661 122 533 67
Portobello 889 114 616 73
Tranent 232 59 185 61

The numbers registered as wholly unemployed are analysed in sufficient detail to identify those who have been on the registers for more than 26 weeks in January, April, July and October, but not in June.

graphs 79 and 80 the transitional arrangements for industrial tariffs and in paragraphs 85 and 86 the arrangements for horticultural tariffs.

As explained in paragraphs 79 and 85 of the White Paper (Command 4715), the tariff adjustments for agricultural items subject to the common external tariff would follow a similar pattern to that agreed for industry, but the precise arrangements remain to be worked out.

The following table shows how Community Preference would be phased in and Commonwealth Preference phased out in the case of fork lift trucks :

lished estimates derived from the agreements reached in the negotiations. These involve a number of assumptions, which are set out in the White Paper. In view of the number of additional assumptions it would be necessary to make to calculate accurately net contributions to the Community budget for existing members of the Six for the years 1973 to 1977, I have nothing to add to the answer my right hon. and learned Friend gave to the right hon. Member for Leeds, East (Mr. Healey) on 19th July, which explained the difficulties in projecting the position of individual members in relation to the Community budget as far ahead as 1977.—[Vol. 821, c. 224–6.]

Mr. Shore

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the negotiation of satisfactory arrangements for the export of New Zealand's dairy products to Great Britain after 1977 would be regarded by Her majesty's Government as a matter involving Great Britain's vital national interest ; and whether he has so informed the Six.

Mr. Rippon

The Community has agreed that the review of the butter situation in the third year after enlargement, in the light of which suitable measures for ensuring beyond 1977 the continuation of special arrangements for New Zealand butter will be decided, will take account of all the relevant factors in the Community and in New Zealand. Her Majesty's Government's attitude in relation to matters following the review will be determined by the situation prevailing at the time.