§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Industry why the British carpet industry is unable to compete with higher priced imports from the United States of America; and whether he will consider with his colleagues and the Euro- 132W revised in 1960 and every four or five years subsequently, indicated by the pairs of figures shown for 1960, 1964, 1969 and 1974.
The series cover both borrowing from overseas by United Kingdom companies and local borrowing by overseas subsidiaries of United Kingdom companies whose activities are mainly in the United Kingdom, separate figures for which are not available.
pean Commission the removal of tariff protection on such imports to increase the efficiency of the industry.
§ Mr. David MitchellPrice comparisons and the reasons for the competitive differences reflected in them are difficult to analyse. The causes of the increase in United Kingdom imports of United States 133W of America tufted carpets to around 4.8 per cent. of United Kingdom consumption last year—8.5 per cent. in the final quarter—include the benefits of long runs in the American plants; the decline in the United State of America dollar relative to sterling; and the advantage to the American producers from cheaper synthetic fibres due to United States oil and gas price controls.
The EEC tariff will fall from 23 per cent. to 14 per cent. as part of the multilateral trade negotiations concluded recently in the GATT. I would oppose reducing the tariff further at what is a difficult time for the United Kingdom industry.
MOTOR VEHICLES* IMPORTED INTO THE UNITED KINGDOM From EEC countries From non-EEC countries Number ('000) Value (£ million) Number ('000) Value (£ million) 1965 52 22 8 4 1966 62 25 10 6 1967 83 35 16 11 1968 89 43 20 14 1969 93 47 17 15 1970 143 75 26 27 1971 251 150 51 49 1972 361 260 128 107 1973 374 337 172 162 1974 280 299 138 156 1975 298 385 181 230 1976 382 720 184 303 1977 512 1,128 227 426 1978 574 1,438 281 612 1979 766 2,146 375 845 * Including used vehicles. For reasons of timing and coverage, figures of vehicle imports differ from figures showing registrations of imported vehicles. The table below shows registrations of new imported vehicles, which can be directly compared with total new vehicle registrations.
REGISTRATIONS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM OF NEWLY IMPORTED MOTOR VEHICLES* From EEC countries From non-EEC countries Thousands Percentage of total new motor vehicle registrations Thousands Percentage of total new motor vehicle registrations 1970 136 10 28 2 1971 215 14 50 3 1972 Not available ֵ Not available ֵ 1973 327 17 170 9 1974 250 17 137 9 1975 260 18 162 11 1976 339 23 179 12 1977 432 28 206 13 1978 549 30 292 16 1979 690 34 346 17 * Prior to 1975, these figures do not include buses and coaches. Source: Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.
Information on registrations is not available by value.