§ Mr. Neubertasked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) what are the terms of the agreement he has reached with Norway, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Finland and Sweden on the import into the United Kingdom of woodfibre insulating board; what was the prevailing price of such imported board before the agreement and what the new price will be; and what the increased cost to the consumer will be in terms of wholesale and retail prices;
(2) why he has discontinued investigations by his Department into alleged dumping of woodfibre insulating board in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. DeakinsThe investigation into alleged dumping of woodfibre insulation board by Norway, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Finland and Sweden has been discontinued because the producers concerned in all five countries have entered into voluntary undertakings with the Department regarding the minimum prices at which they will supply wood-fibre insulating board to the United Kingdom.
The prices at which insulating board was imported both prior to and following the agreements vary according to the thickness and quality of the board and also according to the producer concerned. The undertaking prices are also minimum prices and do not necessarily reflect the prices which producers will actually charge to particular United Kingdom customers. However, import prices of insulation board are likely to rise by between 14 per cent. and 33 per cent. following the agreements, depending upon the producer. These increases are likely to be reflected at wholesale and retail levels.