HC Deb 19 March 1959 vol 602 c604
8. Mr. Frank Allaun

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will now state the details of the agreement reached with the Eire Government restricting the import into Great Britain of foreign textiles made up into garments in Eire, stating the total maximum value allowed annually and also the ceilings for corduroys, shirts and other categories.

Mr. Vaughan-Morgan

The Government of the Irish Republic have undertaken to limit to an annual amount of £600,000 exports to this country of garments made from woven cotton materials imported from Japan and Soviet Bloc countries. Within this total, garments made from corduroy and similar cloths will not exceed £50,000 and shirts will not exceed £93,000. These arrangements came into force on 1st March.

Mr. Allaun

While textile workers and employers will warmly welcome those ceilings, is the Minister of State aware that they cannot understand why these evasions of import restrictions which have caused widespread unemployment were not stopped sooner or were allowed to take place at all?

Mr. Vaughan-Morgan

This is a voluntary undertaking on the part of the Irish Republic. Most of the interests in the United Kingdom thoroughly appreciate the agreement.

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