Horticultural Tariffs

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 31 July 1952.

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Photo of Mr Tufton Beamish Mr Tufton Beamish , Lewes 12:00, 31 July 1952

The hon. Lady the Member for Blackburn, East (Mrs. Castle) has put up a very gallant show this evening, so much so that I feel like calling her the "hon and gallant Lady." I am reminded somewhat of an old film I once saw—I think it was called "A Thousand Men and a Girl."

Before the Minister replies, I should like to make a brief comment. I could not help asking myself whether the hon. Lady would apply the same principles to protection against the import of foreign woollen goods and textiles, coming, as she does, from Blackburn, as she would have applied to the importation of horticultural produce. I agreed with her very much when she said that she was in favour of a full discussion on this question, and I hope that when we come back in the autumn there will be an opportunity for a full debate.

It seems to me, representing, as I do, a constituency which grows horticultural produce of the highest quality, that there are only two ways in which it can be provided with what I regard as proper protection: the quota system or the tariff system, or, perhaps, a combination of both.