asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce the estimated total cost of the British 15 per cent and ten per cent levies up to 31st December 1965.
16.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - British Levies.
15.
(South Tipperary) asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce (a) the total amount paid by the Government to industrial exporters as a result of the 15 per cent, now ten per cent, UK import levy during 1965; and (b) if he can estimate or calculate the amount accruing to the UK exchequer as a result of this levy on Irish exports to the UK during 1966.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 and 16 together.
It is not possible to estimate the total cost to this country of the British levy because of lack of detailed information as to the proportion borne by British importers.
The total amount of market development grants paid to exporters in respect of the levy during the year 1965 was £1,561,000.
I cannot estimate the amount which will accrue to the British Exchequer during 1966 as a result of the charge on imports from this country.
What percentage of that represents the charge on Irish exports —40 per cent or 50 per cent?
It is a varying scale.
Could the Minister say, in brief, to what extent or percentage were they assisted in order to pay the levy?
Generally the amount of the grant is equivalent to 40 per cent. If the Deputy wants a breakdown, I shall get it for him.
I did not mean a breakdown. I merely want to know what percentage of the whole is this?
Generally about 40 per cent.
Would the figure the Minister has furnished be about 40 per cent?
Something more than 40 per cent. There is a sum of money paid in market development grants. It is not possible to say how much this country lost. We cannot estimate that, and it is not possible to estimate what will accrue to the British Exchequer. Does the Deputy think we can deduce from the figure we know what the other two figures might be, which we cannot get in actual fact?
What I want to know is this—when they were given this assistance in order to pay the 15 per cent levy, to what extent were they assisted in the difficulty they had to overcome in order to pay the levy?
Generally the amount is equivalent to 40 per cent of the amount of the charge paid but there were special difficulties in some cases and they got 50 per cent. Later on we introduced an incentive for an increased export in this type of case.