The trade secretary has described US pottery tariffs as a "very real hindrance" to British business.

Answering questions in the Commons on Thursday, Patricia Hewitt said she would seek to take action against President Bush's protectionist policy.

Hewitt had already spoken out against American steel tariffs which have wrecked attempts to encourage free trade in manufacturing.

But with competition from China already putting pressure on manufacturing in the Potteries, Stoke-on-Trent South MP George Stephenson condemned the latest US move.

"Enterprise in deprived areas such as my remains heavily dependent on the fortunes of the pottery industry which in turn heavily depends on exports," the Labour MP said.

He asked Hewitt if she shared his concern over the "30 per cent tariff on pottery imports from the United Kingdon into the United States".

"This swingeing tariff is having a very detrimental effect," Stephenson added.

Hewitt replied that her department would act within the World Trade Organisation and directly with its US counterpart to reduce the burden on the ailing sector.

"[We have made] enormous efforts to deal with the unlawful tariffs which the United States has imposed on our steel imports," she said.

"But the tariffs on pottery imports into the United States are a very real hindrance to companies in his constituency and elsewhere who have quite enough problems to deal with already.

"I will certainly see both bilaterally and within the WTO what we can do help on that matter."