asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development what is the current level of import duty charged on computers entering this country from the United States of America; when this rate was introduced; and what was the previous level.

The duty is 14 per cent. ad valorem. It was reduced from 17½ per cent. ad valorem in October 1962 as a result of G.A.T.T. tariff negotiations.

While it would be unrealistic to advocate a further increase in the level of duty on computer imports, what assistance does my right hon. Friend feel he could give to the British computer industry, an industry which is essential to the national economy, bearing in mind the difficult period through which it is passing at the present time, an instance of which is provided by the Belfast computer factory?

The best help to the British computer industry would be that British industry as a whole should modernise as rapidly as it can and move over to the use of computers and computer control.

Would my right hon. Friend agree that the duty upon the hardware in the computer is a relatively small part of the cost to a customer of running a computer, and that the important thing is the standard of programming and servicing?

Yes, Sir; I would agree entirely with that.