§ 38. Mr. Edwin Wainwrightasked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will give the number of hair-dryers and toasters, respectively, imported into the United Kingdom during each of the past five years, and the amount in each case in pounds sterling.
§ Mr. DeakinsThe information is as follows:
Kingdom has an unfavourable trade balance; and by what percentages all balances have changed in one direction or another since 1st January 1973.
§ Mr. DeakinsThe following table provides the information requested:
other members of the EEC what representations should be made.
§ Mr. Michael Marshallasked the Secretary of State for Trade whether, under his powers to prevent the dumping of steel products in the United Kingdom by non-EEC countries such as Spain and Japan, his Department has adequate resources to investigate such cases promptly enough for action to be taken to prevent further damage to the United Kingdom producers, particularly in view of the complexity of applications involving special 59W steel products, and the small number of staff being obliged to handle applications from a wide range of industries.
§ Mr. DeakinsAll anti-dumping investigations have to meet the requirements of the Customs Duties (Dumping and Subsidies) Act 1969. Some cases such as that of steel products are more complex than others and take correspondingly longer to evaluate. It would clearly be wasteful and impracticable to maintain an antidumping staff of such a size that instant and undivided attention could be given to every application. But I am satisfied that the existing staff though hard-pressed do their best to deal promptly with cases. The prevention of further damage to an industry relates not so much to staff as to the strength of the evidence of material injury. If there is sufficiently strong and clear evidence both of dumping and of material injury then a provisional charge can be imposed if necessary at any stage of an investigation.