§ Mr. BellTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make proposals to redress the imbalance in the General agreement on tariffs and trade agreement between the reduction of duty on imports of complete bicycles and that on components.
§ Mr. NeedhamNo agreement has yet been finalised in the GATT Uruguay round table negotiations. The latest EC proposal for reduction in the Community's common external tariff, tabled in December 1992, offers no reduction in the current 17 per cent. duty on complete bicycles, but reduces that on components from 8 to 5.5 per cent. In making this revised offer, the EC has stated that it is ready to improve it in further negotiations. The United Kingdom will continue to work for a result which includes the greatest possible reduction in the EC tariff on bicycle components.