§ 8. Mr. Turtonasked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development what steps he is taking to secure that Article 9 of the United Kingdom-Australia Trade Agreement is being implemented in the interests of the United Kingdom textile industry; and whether he will seek an assurance from the Australian Government that United Kingdom textile manufacturers will receive full opportunity of reasonable competition.
§ Mr. du CannThe Australian Government are well aware of the views of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom about the application of Article 9 of the Anglo-Australian Trade Agreement. So far as textiles are concerned, a meeting has been arranged to enable representatives of the British textile industry to discuss the matter with the Board of Trade.
§ Mr. TurtonIs my hon. Friend aware that in four years there have been 55 representations made to the Australian Tariff Board or the Special Advisory Authority on Textile Matters, with the result that protection against low-cost Japanese production has denied British textile orders the reasonable opportunity for competition? Will he at the forthcoming conference attempt to get the rules of the G.A.T.T. revised to prevent their frustrating trade agreements in this way?
§ Mr. du CannWe shall certainly bear in mind everything my right hon. Friend has so wisely said.
§ Sir A. V. HarveyIs my hon. Friend aware that whereas two or three years ago the Australians were buying textiles from Macclesfield and Bollington those places are not now getting any orders from them? The Australians want to sell, but they could buy more from this country.
§ Mr. du CannI have no doubt that this matter will be thoroughly examined at the meeting to which I have referred