HC Deb 29 June 1983 vol 44 cc569-70
10. Mr. Andrew MacKay

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he is satisfied that British manufacturers are being allowed free access into overseas countries which enjoy major export markets in the United Kingdom.

Mr. Parkinson

The Government remain concerned about the inequitable market access offered by some of our trading partners and, together with our Community partners, we are continuing to make every effort to improve the present unsatisfactory position.

Mr. MacKay

Does my right hon. Friend agree that we must have a policy of free trade but that we must also have a policy of fair trade worldwide? Is it not time that we took robust retaliatory action against the countries that do not allow free access to our manufactures but to which we allow free rein in Britain?

Mr. Parkinson

We take action against dumping and unfair competition. As a result of pressure from the Government, the arrangements within the Community to deal with dumping have been improved. I remind my hon. Friend that no country exports as much of what it produces as Britain does, and no country stands to lose more if we wreck the open trading system. We depend on it more than any other country.

Mr. Sheerman

Does the Secretary of State agree that the past four years have provided a completely ineffective response to the unfair dumping of textiles in Britain, which, together with the other criminal policies pursued by the Government, meant that the textile industry was in a serious position? If something is not done about unfair competition there will be a further slide during the next four years.

Mr. Parkinson

The hon. Gentleman knows that no industry in Britain has more protection from low-cost imports than the textile industry. He knows, too, that the Government drove a harder bargain than any Labour Government could. It is no accident that the textile industry is showing signs of recovery, and I hope that he is pleased about that.

Sir Paul Bryan

Does my right hon. Friend agree that the only country that gives completely free access to all our exports is Hong Kong?

Mr. Parkinson

I agree entirely that Hong Kong is the only truly open market, and it is an important and large export market for Britain.

Mr. Archer

Reverting to the question asked by my hon. Friend the Member for Huddersfield (Mr. Sheerman), does the Secretary of State accept that the European Commission has been completely powerless to prevent substantial Government subsidies to the textile industries of other European countries, especially in France and Belgium? Does he stand by his declaration, as reported in The Observer: You can't be a trade purist any more?

Mr. Parkinson

If the right hon. and learned Gentleman believes that we are trade purists, he is extremely ill-informed. I have already mentioned a range of voluntary restraint arrangements, including the multifibre arrangement. We are not trade purists, and those who pretend that we are simply appear ridiculous.