Romania (Agricultural Products) (Hansard, 4 March 1971)

§ Mr. Noble

The annual trade talks with Romania have just been concluded in Bucharest. Details of the quota levels for certain goods still subject to quantitative import restrictions are set out at the end of this Answer. The quotas include increases amounting to £1 million for agricultural and horticultural products which the former Administration undertook to afford to Romania in recognition of the importance of our exports to that country including valuable irrigation projects. For that reason increases in the quotas for imports from Romania are naturally higher than in any former year and higher than any increases for imports from other Eastern Area countries.

It is the Government's policy, in line with the general practice of other Western countries, progressively to relax the discriminatory quantitative restrictions applied against the Eastern Area countries while ensuring that United Kingdom interests, particularly in agriculture and horticulture, do not suffer material damage as a result of imports from those countries. Quota levels for each country are reviewed annually. We maintain a close watch on the nature and phasing of imports and stand ready to take quick 525W and effective action against any dumping which threatens or results in material injury.

It is our general policy that where goods subject to import quotas are included in compensation trade contracts they must be accommodated within existing quota levels. Any proposals for exceptions to this policy will be strictly scrutinised in the light of all the interests concerned.

Following are the details: Romanian Goods for Import into the United Kingdom during the period 1st October, 1970–30th September, 1971 Pork meat, including offals and organs—P.M. Bacon—1,500 tons.^* Canned pigmeat (other than ham and pork loin)—£250,000. Canned ham and pork loin—£650,000. Pork sausages (including canned)—£40,000. Poultry—P.M. Fully cooked poultry (including canned boneless poultry)—£30,000. Fresh vegetables, not elsewhere specified, being asparagus; beans, green; beetroot; broccoli and cauliflowers; brussels sprouts; carrots; celery; cucumbers (other than gherkins); herbs; lettuce and endive; mushrooms; peas, green; potatoes; radishes; spinach; turnips—1,565 tons. Onions and shallots (between 1st August and 28th February)^†—1,500 tons. Fresh tomatoes (between 1st April and 31st October)^†—1,325 tons. Dehydrated and dried vegetables, not elsewhere specified, being asparagus; beans, green; beetroot; broccoli and cauliflowers; brussels sprouts; carrots; celery; cucumbers (other than gherkins); herbs; lettuce and endive; mushrooms; onions (dry bulb) and shallots; peas, green; radishes; rhubarb; spinach; turnips—£610,000. Dehydrated and dried potatoes—£25,000. Frozen vegetables; being any of the vegetables specified in Quotas 11 and 12–85 tons. Canned vegetables, being any of the vegetables specified in Quotas 11 and 12—£250,000. Onions, pickled or in brine—£80,000. Fresh fruits, being apples; cherris; currants; gooseberries; loganberries; pears; plums; raspberries; strawberries (of which not more than 60 tons for apples and pears, of which not more than 15 tons to be imported between 1st July and 31st December)—1,500 tons. Dried fruit being any of the fruits specified in Quota 16—£50,000. Frozen fruit, being any of the fruits specified in Quota 16 (of which not more than 50 tons for blackcurrants, 50 tons for raspberries and 50 tons for strawberries)—350 tons. 526W Pulp and fruit puree of any of the fruits specified in Quota 16 (of which not more than 165 tons for strawberry, 90 tons for raspberry and 100 tons for blackcurrant)—2,350 tons. Juices and syrups of apples, blackcurrants and pears—£70,000. Canned fruit, being of any of the fruits specified in Quota 16 (of which not more than £25,000 for strawberry and raspberry and £5,000 for blackcurrant)—£275,000. Jams and jellies of apple; cherry; currant; gooseberry; loganberry; pear; plum; raspberry; strawberry (of which not more than 1,080 tons for strawberry, raspberry and blackcurrant)—2,700 tons. Butter—2,820 tons^*. Crawfish tail, frozen or in brine—£20,000. Cheese—£125,000. Transistorised radio receivers, television receivers and radiograms—£200,000. Electronic valves, tubes and semi-conductors—£75,000. Tableware of china, porcelain or earthenware—£175,000. Christmas tree decorations of glass—£15,000. Cotton and man-made fibre fabrics (of which not more than £30,000 for cotton)—£220,000. Hosiery and knitwear (other than gloves)—£1,250,000. Leather and reversed lambskin gloves—£40,000. Other clothing excluding clothing wholly or mainly of lace or lace net (of which not more than £75,000 for cotton clothing)—£800,000. Linen tea towels and towelling—20,000 square yards. Manufactures of linen, other than tea towels and towelling not elsewhere specified—£10,000. Manufactures of hemp—£15,000. Blankets of man-made fibre and cotton, containing not less than 51 per cent. by weight of man-made fibre and blankets of manmade fibre and wool containing not less than 60 per cent. by weight of man-made fibre—£95,000. Textile handicrafts (other than clothing)—£20,000. Matches—£10,000. Enamelled holloware—£20,000. Miscellaneous goods—£145,000. P.M.=Pro Memoria. ^* Period April, 1970/March, 1971. ^† Imports outside this period are free of restriction.