§ Lord Brougham and Vauxasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the present position with regard to the imports of cars into France from the Nissan plant at Sunderland.
682WA
§ The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (Lord Young of Graffham)I wrote to Dr. Bangemann, the European Commissioner responsible for industry and the internal market, on 6th March asking him formally to clarify with the French Government that cars produced at Sunderland by Nissan Motor Manufacturing UK Ltd. are allowed to enter France quite independently of the level of car imports into France from Japan. Dr. Bangemann has just replied to me saying that the Commission has now received a formal assurance from the French Government that this will be the case. On this basis, Nissan Motor Manufacturing UK Ltd. expect that their business with France will continue unimpeded. I welcome this resolution of the position and look forward to discussions with France and other member states on future policy in the European Community on the range of vehicles issues that will have to be considered in the context of completion of the single market.