HC Deb 23 March 1982 vol 20 c328W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the average rates of duty quoted in his reply of 9 March, Official Report, c. 377, concerning the duties levied by the United Kingdom on imports of manufactures from non-EEC countries were based on the most favoured nation rates of duty; if not, what proportion of the trade in each class was imported at the full rate of duty; and what was the average incidence of the duties in each class on that type of trade.

Mr. Bruce-Gardyne

As I explained in my reply to the hon. Member on 9 March,Official Report, c. 377, the average rates of duty were the total customs duties collected expressed as percentages of the values—cif—of the relevant imports.

Statistics relating to all imports dutied at the full rate are not readily available. The proportions of imports of manufactures from non-EEC countries that were from countries all of whose trade is dutiable at the full rate and the average rates of duty were as follows:

Standard international trade classification Imports as a percentage of all imports from third countries* Average rate of duty
1979 1980 1979 1980
Section 5. Chemicals and related products 56 55 6.5 6.3
Section 6. Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material 37 36 4.2 3.5
Section 7. Machinery and transport equipment 70 71 5.5 4.9
Section 8. Miscellaneous manufactured articles 44 47 9.7 7.3
* Value of imports from countries not having preferential agreements with the Community as a percentage of the value of imports from all third countries.