HC Deb 04 December 1975 vol 901 cc1924-5
Ql. Mr. Lawson

asked the Prime Minister when he will next be meeting the CBI and TUC.

The Prime Minister (Mr. Harold Wilson)

I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner) on 25th January.

Mr. Lawson

When the Prime Minister meets the TUC and CBI will he tell them, if he can still remember, what happened at Rambouillet, apart from the disastrous encouragement that the venue gave him to try to play the poor man's de Gaulle in Rome? In particular, will he say whether the Heads of Government did or did not endorse the use of import controls by the United Kingdom?

The Prime Minister

I have reported to the House on Rambouillet, and the TUC and CBI know the principal conclusions that came out of that meeting. The Heads of Government were not asked to endorse or disendorse our policy on import controls, because we are still studying the matter. There will be international consultations when our studies are complete.

Mr. Noble

Does my right hon. Friend accept that when he met the leaders of textiles unions recently, the TUC General Council listened very carefully to him saying that a statement on import controls would be made in days not weeks? Does my right hon. Friend accept that there is now a grave danger that imports will be greyhounded into this country in anticipation of such a statement and that, whatever the statement says, delay is extremely dangerous?

The Prime Minister

This was one of the risks of public discussion and questions on this matter. We are working hard on the problem and, although there are certain difficulties about proceeding immediately, we intend to proceed with very great urgency.