§ 5. Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a further statement on initiatives to help the footwear industry.
§ Mr. SainsburyThe footwear industry, like other industries, is eligible for a range of Government assistance.
§ Mr. VazDoes not that answer prove that the past 13 years have been wasted years in terms of the Government's commitment to the footwear industry? Hundreds of thousands of jobs have been lost in Leicester, the midlands and elsewhere in the past 13 years, yet the Government have done nothing to support the industry. Now that the election has been announced, will the Minister take the opportunity to apologise to the industry's workers and employers for failing to do anything to protect them in the past 13 years?
§ Mr. SainsburyI hoped that the hon. Member would be aware of the changes in fashion with which our footwear industry has had to deal and would have noticed the internationally competitive conditions in which it has had to operate. I hoped that he might be prepared to congratulate it on its 30 per cent. improvement in productivity during the past decade.
§ Mr. Michael MorrisMy right hon. Friend the Minister should ignore the gloom and doom of the hon. Member for Leicester, East (Mr. Vaz). In very difficult trading circumstances, footwear exports in the past 12 months were up 11 per cent. in volume and 15 per cent. in value. Nevertheless, will my right hon. Friend continue to put pressure on the 35 countries that still place restrictions on our exporters?
§ Mr. SainsburyIndeed. My hon. Friend has been a close supporter of the industry for many years and has taken a close interest in its activities. I join him in congratulating the industry on its export achievements—something that we never hear from the Labour party. It has almost doubled exports since 1985 and we shall continue to work to ensure that more and more markets are open to the high-quality products that are produced in my hon. Friend's constituency.