§ Mr. Hardyasked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will take steps in respect of the importation of vacuum cleaners, refrigerators, electric dry irons, steam irons and food mixers where these are landed in the United Kingdom at prices below production costs.
§ Mr. ParkinsonResponsibility for taking action to protect Community industry against dumped imports now rests with the European Commission. With the help of my Department's anti-dumping unit, the Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Electrical Appliances has lodged formal complaints with the Commission concerning single-door refrigerators and cylinder vacuum cleaners imported from certain countries of East Europe.
The first complaint has been accepted for investigation which will be formally announced shortly and the Commission is currently considering the merits of the second. The association has also had preliminary discussions with my Department about imports of irons and food mixers to consider whether there are grounds for lodging formal complaints of dumping in the case of these products also.
§ Mr. Marlowasked the Secretary of State for Trade when he expects resolution of the dumping cases brought by the Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Electrical Appliances; and what were the factors which caused the association to submit complaints in March subsequent to the original complaints in spring 1980 with regard to refrigerators and vacuum cleaners.
§ Mr. ParkinsonI very much hope that the Commission's investigation of the refrigerator case will be conducted as speedily as the internationally agreed GATT rules on anti-dumping will allow; the vacuum cleaner case will be discussed at the next member States anti-dumping advisory committee meeting in July.
As I explained in my reply of 17 June, it has taken some time to assemble the necessary evidence on both cases, particularly where this has entailed consultation between the Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Electrical Appliances and national associations in other member States. The first applications on both cases were made to the Commission in August and September 1980 respectively, but these have been subject to further amendment and modification aimed at strengthening the complaints as a result of discussions between the Commission, the association and my Department's antidumping unit.
Progress on the vacuum cleaner case has also been delayed by difficulties experienced by the association in 3W providing certain documentary evidence relating to prices used in its application, but I am glad to say that these difficulties have now been resolved.