§ Mr. Moateasked the Secretary of State for Trade what negotiations have been 824W taking place with regard to revised quotas for paper imports; if he has taken into account the condition of the United Kingdom paper industry in assessing the quota arrangements; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. DeakinsThe United Kingdom industry fully represented its difficulties to Ministers at the Departments of Industry and Trade before the discussions with the EFTA suppliers began. The talks on the levels of duty-free quotas to be established for EFTA suppliers in 1976 are nearing completion and the difficulties of the United Kingdom industry are being carefully taken into account in deciding the levels of the quotas. There are to be no general increases in the quota levels. The very few increases which are being made relate to minor adjustments or to products which are not being manufactured in the United Kingdom in sufficient quantities. I do not propose to make a statement, as I expect soon to be able to lay an Order before the House giving the details of these quota levels.
§ Mr. Moateasked the Secretary of State for Trade what is his estimate of the current annual value of Scandinavian paper exports to the United Kingdom compared with Scandinavian paper exports to the rest of the EEC; if he is satisfied with existing quota arrangements; and what scope exists for their revision.
§ Mr. Clinton DavisThis information is published under heading SITC 641 in the OECD statistics of Foreign Trade "Series B" for January-December 1974. Volume I covers Sweden and Volume 2 Finland and Norway. This publication is available in the House of Commons Library.
In spite of the present difficult trading conditions we are generally satisfied with the existing quota arrangements. There is provision in the agreements for a review of the arrangements in 1975, but in present conditions we are proposing to postpone this until early in 1976.
§ Mr. Frank R. Whiteasked the Secretary of State for Trade what has been the paper and board production rates per annum for all member States of EEC and the Scandinavian countries, respectively, for the past five years.
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§ Mr. Clinton DavisFollowing is the information:
PRODUCTION OF PAPER AND BOARD '000 Metric tons 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 Belgium/Luxembourg … 772 769 785 829 855 Denmark‡ … 218 207 220 223 237 France … 4,136 4,226 4,539 4,784 5,059 German Federal Republic … 5,692 5,808 6,189 6,734 6,919 Irish Republic … 95 100 138 142 129 Italy … 3,451 3,288 3,578 4,100 4,201 Netherlands … 1,362 1,351 1,470 1,609 1,729 United Kingdom … 4,944§ 4,368 4,374 4,708 4,627 Finland … 4,274 4,446 5,080 5,443* 5,315* Norway … 1,680 1,621 1,588 1,617 † Sweden … 5,344 5,187 5,491 6,203 † * Provisional. † Not available. ‡ Deliveries. § 53 weeks. Sources:
Member countries of the EEC—Eurostat Industrial Statistics.
Sweden—Industri.
Norway—Industristatistikk.
Finland—Unitas. The Economic Review.