asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether, with a view to encouraging waste paper collectors to make an all-out effort to meet home needs, he will place a tariff on imports of waste paper.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Waste Paper Imports.
As stated by me in reply to a question on 10th April, 1956, imports of waste paper have been reduced to the minimum level consistent with existing contracts and with the maintenance of essential export connections. There has been a progressive reduction in the quantities of waste paper imported each month during the current year: in May, 1956, imports were down to 355 tons as compared with 1,089 tons in January, 1956, and as compared with an average monthly import figure of approximately 2,000 tons in 1955. In these circumstances the imposition of a tariff on waste paper would not serve any purpose.
Is the Minister aware that a number of organisations exist in this country for the collection and sale of waste paper and that as a result of the recent refusal by the mills to take waste paper a number of these well-organised bodies that have been collecting waste paper for charitable or commercial purposes have now become slightly disorganised?
I am aware of the fact that a number of organisations have gone into the business of collecting waste paper in the past year or two to such an extent that they were offering to the mills here quantities of waste paper in excess of the requirements of the mills and that it is paper which the mills could not use because, in the main, it is paper of one particular variety of which the mills had an excess. The mills can only use wastepaper in proportion to their hold on the export trade and they have been finding it difficult to maintain portion of their export trade. In fact, if export orders do not improve substantially there probably will be less outlet in the mills for the waste paper collected here. The present position is that imports of waste paper are down to the minimum. They are less now than at any time for the past two years, and such imports as are coming in are in fulfilment of contracts or are part of an arrangement by which the firm which imports the waste paper is finding a market to take the waste paper. If that ceases, then exports of the finished article also cease and it does not in any way aid those who have waste paper of another kind to sell to the mills here.
Is it not a fact that this is a form of quid pro quo as far as the people who are engaged in the processing of this paper are concerned? In other words, is it not the case that the waste paper is processed here and then re-exported, and the argument is that they will not have a market for the re-export commodity unless they import the raw material?
I understand that to be the position.
Does the Minister think it is a sound policy to have an industry on that basis?
That is only in respect of portion of the industry. There would be less employment in the mills if they lose that work.