§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what are the main changes in duties on industrial and agricultural products, respectively, resulting from the adoption of the Import Duties (General) (No. 8) Order 1973;
(2) for what products and for what States the Import Duties (General) (No. 8) Order 1973 makes changes in existing United Kingdom duties in respect of EEC preferential trade agreements with third countries;
(3) for what products from Commonwealth States duties will be increased as a result of the Import Duties (General) (No. 8) Order 1973; and to what extent;
(4) for what products from EFTA States duties will be increased as a result of the Import Duties (General) (No. 8) Order 1973; and to what extent.
§ Sir G. HoweThere will be changes in both directions in duties on imports not qualifying for any preferential treatment, that is, the "full" rates of duty. On imports from the Commonwealth countries listed in Part I of Schedule 4 to the order there are generally no changes, the few exceptions being downward; for other Commonwealth countries, the changes are, with the same exceptions, upward. Changes in duties on imports from other members of the Community are entirely downward except on items which are now, and will remain, duty-free.
248WThe order makes changes in United Kingdom duties in respect of EEC preferential agreements only as regards agreements with EFTA countries. Virtually all products which were duty-free under the EFTA Convention remain so, but amongst products at present dutiable there are some on which rates remain unchanged and others subject to changes in either direction.
It is impracticable to set out lists of products affected and the changes in duties in the OFFICIAL REPORT. Detailed information is available in the order and in the orders it revokes; but account being taken of the problems of weighting, changes in patterns of trade, etc., the net effect of all these changes is expected to be downwards for industrial, and marginally upwards for agricultural, products.
§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what changes in duties made by the Import Duties (General) (No. 8) Order 1973 result from the adoption of the EEC generalised preference scheme; and what further changes would be necessary in the event of the EEC improved generalised preference scheme being agreed by the Council.
§ Sir G. HoweThe present order does not make any duty changes resulting from the enlarged Community's GSP scheme. These will be dealt with separately, as were the United Kingdom's own arrangements in relation to previous General Import Duties Orders.
§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the introduction of new rates of duties in the Import Duties (General) (No. 8) Order 1973 contravenes any existing United Kingdom obligations under GATT.
§ Sir G. HoweSome of the tariff changes in the order require renegotiation of existing United Kingdom commitments in the GATT. The Community has these negotiations in hand with interested parties.