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 what steps he now proposes to take to prevent the import of butter to this country at prices below the cost of production in the countries of origin.
My right hon. Friend described the steps the Board of Trade has taken to deal with dumped and subsidised imports of butter in his reply on 2nd November to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Meriden (Mr. Matthews). Arrangements have now been made with all save one of the countries aproached to limit their shipments as suggested for the period 1st October, 1961, to 31st March, 1962.
I am sorry to say that the Government of the Republic of Ireland have not felt able to agree to restrict exports to the quantity proposed. We must, therefore, act as indicated by my right hon. Friend on 2nd November and impose an antidumping duty on butter imports from the Republic of Ireland. This duty comes into force tomorrow.
The British Government much regret the need to impose these duties on the produce of a country with whom our trading relations are so close. But the quantities to which we asked the Governments of supplying countries to restrict their exports were an impartial proposal made in the G.A.T.T. and most of the Governments which accepted the scheme did so conditionally on anti-dumping duties being imposed on butter from any country which did not similarly accept it. The scheme, of course, covers only the six months ending on 31st March, 1962, and we hope that, in the interval, there will be discussions amongst all Governments concerned on a long-term solution.
Is my hon. Friend aware that this statement will give great pleasure to the farming industry, and to the milk producers in particular? Now that he has done this, would he not consider taking more urgent action in the case of the dumping of other milk products? I am thinking particularly of the imports of spray milk and the like from other countries at under the cost of production.
My hon. Friend will know that that is another question.