§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures Her Majesty's Government propose to take to protect the interests of the United Kingdom cement industry and its employees in the light of the increasing level of subsidised imports from Greece, the German Democratic Republic and Poland.
§ Mr. Roy Hughesasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has had any discussions with his European Economic Community counterparts on the possibility of restricting imports of cement from East Germany and Poland.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkI will shortly be writing to the European Commission about subsidies to exporters granted by the Greek Government. As regards the German Democratic Republic and Poland, the Commission has completed an anti-dumping investigation into imports of cement from those sources into the Community and is considering its findings. I have had no other discussions with my Community counterparts on possible restrictions of imports of cement from the German Democractic Republic and Poland.
§ Mr. Roy Hughesasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has had any discussions with the Greek Government concerning allegations of dumping of cement imports into the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Pawseyasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will make firm representations to the Greek Government about the implications for the viability 342W of the United Kingdom cement industry of the current level of subsidy enjoyed by Greek exports of cement to the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what action he intends to take to seek to prevent Greek cement being dumped in the United Kingdom;
(3) if he will ask the European Commission to investigate alleged unfair trade practices in respect of cement exported from Greece and imported into Greece from other countries.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what representations he has received concerning the level of subsidised imports of cement into the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement;
(2) if he will meet representatives of the Cement Employers Association and the trade unions involved in the industry to discuss the level of subsidised imports of cement into the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkThe British cement industry has made representations to my Department and to the Department of the Environment, who sponsor the industry, about the threat of subsidised imports of cement from Greece. My hon. Friend the Minister for Construction, Housing and Urban Affairs, and officials from both Departments, met a delegation of Members of Parliament and the Cement Makers Federation on 10 July to discuss the position. I am arranging to meet the same delegation and will shortly be writing to the European Commission to express the Government's serious concern at the Commission's continued authorisation of the general system of subsidies to Greek exporters, which the Commission has already investigated and found to be incompatible with the common market. If evidence of the use of other forms of subsidy comes to light I shall also take this up with the European Commission and, where appropriate, with the Greek Government.
§ Mr. Roy Hughesasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will review the regulations preventing the dumping of imports of cement into the United Kingdom; and if he will impose further restrictions.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkThe Community's anti-dumping law provides a means by which complaints of dumping can be investigated and remedies imposed where appropriate.
§ Mr. Pawseyasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will seek to introduce a duty on imports of cement from Greece of an amount equivalent to the duty levied by Greece on imports of cement from the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkNo duty is imposed by Greece on imports of cement.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list in the Official Report the level of imports of cement into the United Kingdom in each of the past three years.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkI will reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.