Oral Answers to Questions — Trade and Commerce – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 28 November 1961.
asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the recession in trade within the motor cycle industry; and what action he will take, following his study of the matter, to maintain a satisfactory level of exports by the industry.
Yes, Sir, there has been a decline in the output of the industry and exports have fallen. The Board of Trade will continue to assist the industry's export efforts in any way it can, but the outcome will depend primarily on the industry.
Will the Minister confirm that production this year is approximately 20 per cent. down? In view of the fact that major redundancy threatens a factory near Coventry and that a factory in Birmingham seems likely to close in the spring, does not this call for urgent action by the Government? Furthermore, what will be the position of this industry if we go into the Common Market and have to face the competition of similar products from Italy, Germany and France?
It is true that since the post-war peak was reached in 1959, there has been a substantial fall in production and a greater fall in exports this year. The Government's main job, however, is to see that the markets of the world are as open as possible to the products of this industry. They are open subject to tariff. Therefore, the battle is necessarily bound to be on merits, prices, salesmanship and service.