HC Deb 12 May 1969 vol 783 cc951-2
14. Mr. Biffen

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if he will commission a study to assess the effect on countries in receipt of publicly-financed overseas aid of the imposition of tariffs or further quotas on the United Kingdom imports of cotton textiles from those countries.

18. Mr. Hooley

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what study his Department is making of the recent Report of the Textile Council on imports into the United Kingdom with special reference to imports from developing countries; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Oram

The recent Report by the Textile Council followed a study of the cotton and allied textiles industry as a whole, and as such it is being carefully studied by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade. Matters of this kind, which may affect the interests of developing countries, are of course constantly scrutinised by my economic planning staff, and they are currently studing the Council's Report.

Mr. Biffen

Surely the prospect of a 15 per cent. tariff on imported cotton goods must be of such significance that the hon. Gentleman has already been advised to some degree of the conquence that it will have on the economy of these countries. Why is he not prepared to share that view with the House?

Mr. Oram

The matter needs more study than has yet been given to it. The information and the opinion of the Government will be available at the proper time.

Mr. Hooley

Would my hon. Friend agree that even the most cursory study would convince him and his colleagues that such a proposition would have a deleterious effect on the exports of developing countries, which rely heavily upon textiles for their foreign currency earnings? Will he make the strongest representations to his right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade to this effect?

Mr. Oram

I assure my hon. Friend that before the Government take any final decisions about the adoption of any of the proposals in the Report, the effect on developing countries, particularly those which receive our aid, will be very carefully studied.

Mr. Braine

The House will be seized of the obvious contradiction between this country providing aid to certain other countries and, at the same time, denying them reasonable access to the markets of the developed world. While I am fully aware that there are many implications for our own textile industry, the matter is of such importance that I wonder whether the Minister can give the House any indication of when the results of the study will be made available to Parliament.

Mr. Oram

It is true that there are conflicting interests in these matters, which is why we need to make a careful study of them. I am not at present in a position to say when the results of the study will be forthcoming.