§ 24. Mr. Michael Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Trade for how long negotiations on arrangements for imports of women's and children's sandals from 26 Poland and Czechoslovakia have been going on in order to settle the 1977 quota.
§ Mr. MeacherThe European Commission invited Poland and Czechoslovakia towards the end of last year to enter into negotiations about restraining their exports of women's and children's sandals to this country.
§ Mr. MorrisIs the Minister aware that some of my hon. Friends and I came to his Department in August to discuss the subject of sandals but that since that time well over 1 million extra pairs have been dumped in this country? Does that not make a mockery of the negotiations?
§ Mr. MeacherThat contradicts what the hon. Gentleman said earlier about the rapidity of negotiations organised by the EEC. The EEC has a responsibility in regard to the intergovernmental bilateral considerations, of which the hon. Gentle. man is well aware. A satisfactory arrangement was reached in regard to Romania, but in the case of Poland and Czechoslovakia there have been difficulties in organising discussions with the EEC, but I hope that they will begin soon. I give the assurance that if we are not soon in sight of a voluntary solution, which we would prefer, we shall have to examine some system of quota protection.