§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assistance he affords to companies seeking to extend their trade with Common Market countries; and whether he will give special help to the Campaign Cologne venture which is seeking to extend trade with Western Germany.
§ Mr. Anthony GrantA wide range of Government assistance is available to companies exporting to the Common Market countries. Our Embassy in Bonn are in close contact with the firm which has launched a campaign in Cologne but no special help was required for this promotion.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he is aware that 90 per cent. of New Zealand's butter, 70 per cent. of her cheese, and 80 per cent. of her lamb exports travels into Great Britain in British ships, and, that as this trade will be adversely affected on Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community on any known terms, to what extent he anticipates a loss in earnings to the United Kingdom's shipping industry from this source.
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§ Mr. Anthony GrantAccording to my information the figures for the year ending June, 1970, are 89.1 per cent. for butter, 76.3 per cent for cheese and 86.3 per cent. for lamb. Until the terms of our entry into the European Economic Community are known, their effect and that of other relevant factors on British shipping earnings cannot be estimated.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what for the longest and most convenient stated period of time was the amount of money earned by the British shipping industry in conveying goods and services to and from New Zealand; and to what extent this trade is likely to be affected by Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community on any known terms.
§ Mr. Anthony GrantI am not able to provide statistics of the earnings of British shipping in this trade. Until the terms for our entry into the Community are known it is not possible to determine their effect on such earnings.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his latest estimate of the extent to which the present 17 per cent. tariff preference on 84 per cent. of the export of goods from New Zealand into Great Britain will be affected on Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community on any known terms; and if, for the longest, most convenient period of time, he will give the financial effect that these preferences have made to Great Britain's cost of living.
§ Mr. Anthony GrantThe percentages quoted by the hon. Member are incorrect. Only just over one-fifth of New Zealand's exports to the United Kingdom enjoy preferential tariff treatment. It is not possible to estimate the effect of these preferences on our cost of living.