§ Mr. Frank R. Whiteasked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) what were the restrictions placed on the import of Turkish cotton yarns into the United Kingdom for 1979, 1978, 1977 and 1976, respectively;
- (2) what were the actual imports of Turkish cotton yarns for the years 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1979 to date; and by what amount these exceeded the ceiling quotas;
- (3) if he will consider rolling forward into 1980 the excess import of Turkish cotton yarn over the 1979 ceiling quota and setting this amount against the 1980 quotas;
- (4) what action he proposes to take against those countries which deliberately exceed the agreed ceiling quotas of textile imports into the United Kingdom; if he will consider debiting new annual quotas by the amount of imports that exceed the previously agreed annual ceiling; and if he will make a statement;
39 - (5) if he is satisfied with the procedure by which the EEC Commission fixes annual ceilings of cotton yarn imports into the United Kingdom, in the light of the fact that these ceilings have been allowed to be severely exceeded without those excess imports being debited against
Year Restriction Actual imports (tonnes) 1967 … Quota (3,367 tonnes) … 3,240 1977 … Quota (3,367 tonnes) … 2,231 1978 … Imports suspended from 15 September 1978 … 5,787 1979 … Quota (428 tonnes), 13 November 1979–31 December 1979 … 4,663 (January-September) In 1978 and 1979 the Community unilaterally advised Turkey of a level below which the Community would not take safeguard action: this level was 2,940 tonnes in each case. Arrangements for operating the quota for the last period of 1979 will not allow the quota to be exceeded. Where there are no formal quotas it is necessary for voluntary restraint arrangements to be negotiated between the EEC Commission and the individual supplying countries. Any excess over the levels agreed is a matter for consultation with the supplying country, and the United Kingdom is fully involved in this procedure.