§ Mr. Speedasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the number of cars imported from and exported to Spain, South Korea, Australia, Yugoslavia, Poland, Czechoslovakia and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, respectively, in 1983 and the respective import duties and quotas applied in the United Kingdom and abroad to such imports and exports.
§ Mr. Channon[pursuant to the reply, 13 February 1984, c. 22–3]: The available information is as follows: 215W
Trade in 1983 with specified countries in complete passenger motor cars (Numbers in thousands) United Kingdom Imports Exports Spain 58.3 2.7 Yugoslavia 6.1 n.a. USSR 20.0 n.a. Poland 6.3 n.a. Czechoslovakia 11.3 n.a. South Korea 2.9 3.5 Australia 1.3 2.0 Source: data corresponding to SITC(R2) Group 781 in the United Kingdom Overseas Trade Statistics.
General Note
(1) n.a. signifies not yet available. Numbers exported to the countries concerned in the eleven months ended November 1983 were as follows: Yugoslavia, 50; USSR, 26; Poland, 49; Czechoslovakia, 6.
Notes on Imports
(2) The 1984 rates of duty are as follows:—
Spain 4.1 per cent. Australia 10.4 per cent. Poland 10.4 per cent. USSR 10.4 per cent. Czechoslovakia 10.4 per cent. Yugoslavia nil (3) Cars imported from South Korea with an engine capacity exceeding 1500 cc are free of duty, under the European Community's Generalised Scheme of Preferences. Imports with an engine capacity not exceeding 1500 cc are free of duty within the limit of a tariff quota of which the maximum United Kingdom share is 23.5 per cent. (approximately £7.5 million) representing approximately three thousand cars; thereafter the full Common Customs Tariff of 10.4 per cent. applies to any further imports.
(4) There are no other quotas applicable to imports of cars from the countries in question.
Notes on Exports
(5) For exports from the United Kingdom to Spain, there is a reduced duty quota of 19 per cent. for cars of between 1275 and 1600 cc cylinder capacity and one of 25 per cent. for those between 1990 and 2600 cc. Outside this arrangement, the preferential import duty is 36.7 per cent.
(6) Passenger motor cars imported into Yugoslavia are subject to the following rates of duty:—
up to 950cc 30 per cent. from 950 to 1600 45 per cent. from 1600 cc to 2000 cc 60 per cent. over 2000 cc 80 per cent.
Type of area Location Quadrants i. Deep water frontier Rockall and Faeroes Troughs 132, 133, 142, 143, 152, 153, 154, 164, 165, 205, 213, 214 ii. Other frontier Central North sea, extreme South of Southern North sea, Celtic sea 28, 29, 53, 93, 102, 103, 106 iii. Mature oil Northern North sea 2, 3, 8, 9, 15, 16 iv. Mature gas Southern North sea, Morecambe bay 43, 44, 48, 49, 50, 110, 112, 113 v. Intermediate areas English channel, West Shetlands basin 97, 98, 99, 202, 204, 205 The quadrants are given as a guide only; not all the available blocks in each quadrant will be put on offer.
Cash tender bids will be invited for a small number of blocks in (iii); but otherwise licences in the round will be awarded on the basis of assessment of applications against published criteria.
These criteria will be broadly similar to those in the eighth round, but with one significant difference. In considering applications for discretionary blocks in (iii)
216WIn addition, a special equalisation tax of 6 per cent. is levied on the cif value, plus a Customs clearance charge of 1 per cent. on the cif value. Cars are imported within the limits of a commodity quota, details of which are not published.
(7) In the centrally planned economies (including Poland, the USSR and Czechoslovakia), Customs duties are the responsibility of the importing organisation and do not necessarily influence either the importer's interest in the product or the final selling price on the domestic market. Poland applies import duties of 30 per cent. to special-purpose passenger cars and 40 per cent. to general-purpose passenger cars. Czechoslovakia applies a duty of 19 per cent. to all imports of passenger cars, and the USSR one of 10 per cent. There are no formal published quotas.
(8) In the Republic of Korea, the importation of cars is restricted. The rate of duty on cars with an engine capacity exceeding 2000 cc is 150 per cent. of the cif value, plus Defence Tax of 2.5 per cent. of the cif value. Cars with an engine capacity of 2000 cc and under are subject to a duty of 100 per cent. (cif) plus Defence Tax of 2.5 per cent. (cif).
(9) The import duty on new cars entering Australia from the United Kingdom is 57½ per cent., and an import licence is required. The Australian Federal Government sets the import quota for passenger motor vehicles. Under the Australian Motor Industry Protection Policy, imports of passenger vehicles are restricted to 20 per cent. of the domestic market. For 1984, a provisional level of 82,250 units has been set and wilt be reviewed in mid-year in the light of actual market performance.