THOUGHTS of romantic and exotic cities like Tangier and Trieste

10th November 1979, Page 7

10th November 1979

Page 7

Page 7, 10th November 1979 — THOUGHTS of romantic and exotic cities like Tangier and Trieste

Noticed an error?
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.

should not have intruded; but it was difficult to banish them as Mr Anthony Steer told of his vision of free ports.

That is what the Tory MP for thE Wavertree division of the far-from free port of Liverpool wants moreover, he introduced a Bill tc allow them to be set up.

Mr Steen is, not surprisingly, in favoui of free enterprise, but this was surei3 going some.

If his plan ever came to fruition a selec tion of harbours, part of but apar from the rest of Britain, would b( scattered round our shores.

While the rest of us carried on as usual paying the odd tax and duty and fil ling in the occasional form, the in habitants of these new "freetowns' would go their own way, untrammel led by such impedimenta of model.] life as Customs and Excise duties VAT and building controls.

There would be no Government inter ference — not even aid. For Mr Steel believes in a simple truth which es. capes many today — that capital wi be found if people believe they have good chance of making profits.

True, he spoke of — but did not explai — "permitted manipulation" withi the free zone, but he declared, "Thos who think that a free port is a centi for the black market and contraban are mistaken."

Duty, apparently, would be paid whe goods left the zone "and come int Britain". So any lorryman wit thoughts of smuggling Cheap gooc out of these havens and selling the] at a healthy profit should pause.

Obviously, customs posts would be si up at every road on the "frontier" (I use Mr Steen's word), but recallir some of the roads which lead fro: present ports, that could lead t frustrating queues.

So there could be no 32-tonners thui dering along and loaded down wii duty-free goods. Any smugglir would have to be carried out by fa motorboats or pack-laden pedestriai Mr Steen took less than the permitti ten minutes to tell of his ideas, ai concluded with the stirring seri! ment, "If we are to set our people fr we must trust them."

Whether he will get a majority to bac him is more doubtful. Westminst folk are reluctant to relinquish ai powers.