asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether the revocation of the quota order regulating the importation of cement involves any alteration in the terms of the coal-cattle pact as published by the Government Information Bureau on the 18th February, 1936.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Revocation of Cement Quota Order.
The revocation of the quota order regulating the importation of cement involves no alteration in the provisions of the coal-cattle pact other than those dealing with cement.
Arising out of the Minister's reply, is he prepared to publish the details of the agreement?
There is no agreement except in so far as I stated in the reply.
Does not the quota flow from the agreement? It was as a result of the agreement arrived at that the quota was established. People in the cement trade are anxious to see where they stand, and I should like to ask the Minister, if he is not prepared to tell us where we stand, will he give us details of the agreement?
That is an entirely separate question. So far as the people in the cement trade are concerned, all they want to know is that the quota order has been revoked.
They want to know something much further. Are they going to be thrown back again, at a later period, to take their supplies from England? That is the part that is interesting them. Having had their supplies from England cut off, and having had to obtain their supplies from the Continent, are they going at a later stage to find that the position has been again reversed? That is what we are anxious to find out.
I cannot say what the position will be at a later stage. For the time being, there will be no restrictions on the importation of cement from anywhere.
Could not the Minister give us details of the agreement, so that we can draw our own conclusions, if he will not give us his conclusions?
I have done so.
You have told us that the quota has been altered.
It has been abolished.
It has been abolished. But, as far as we are concerned, what we are anxious to find out is what liability to take further supplies from England will arise at a later stage.
None, unless there is a new arrangement.
Can the Minister say that, for at least another 12 months, there will not be any change with regard to putting a quota on cement and making people take supplies from England?
The coal-cattle pact applies for this year only, and, so far as this year is concerned, there will be no alteration in the position created.
Is the Minister not in a position to say with regard to cement alone, that there will be no change in the present position inside a period of 12 months?
Within the course of the present year.
That is six months. Can the Minister say whether that is the limit to which he can go?
I am not prepared to say anything which would bind me in the matter of any new arrangement which may be made for next year.
But the Minister is clear that there will be no change inside the coming six months?
There will be no change.