§ Mr. Crowtherasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what results have been achieved through 630W representations made to the EEC Commission and to the Italian Industry Minister concerning the Italian Government's decision to subsidise imported ferrous scrap.
§ Mr. Butcher[pursuant to the reply, 18 February 1985, c. 362–63]: In early August the Italian Council of Ministers agreed on a draft Bill authorising payments of a subsidy of 50 lira per kilogram towards the import of ferrous scrap from third countries. The Government made representations to the Commission about the proposed measure in August and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State raised the issue with the Italian Industry Minister on 2 October.
I understand that no payments have been made to Italian scrap importers under the recently introduced Transport Subsidy Act. Such aid requires the approval of the European Commission and to date this has not been given.