asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will reduce the import duties on agricultural and horticultural machinery to enable farmers with limited capital to purchase equipment which will cause agricultural labour to produce bigger results.

I am always prepared to consider representations from users of imported goods for variations in the rates of import duties. In considering such representations I must, of course, have regard to the interests of United Kingdom industries concerned with the production of similar goods.

As a good many of these agricultural implements are not made in England, would the Minister see whether we can get better results from the labour we put into our agriculture?

There are not many not made in some parts of the United Kingdom, but if there are special cases I will certainly look at them.

Will the Minister also look into the question of spares and replacements for that type of equipment?

The answer I have given covers spares.

Will the Minister undertake to make steel available to British manufacturers of these products so that they may supply the British market?