§ Mr. Leightonasked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will circulate in the Official Report a table showing the value and volume of (a) textiles and (b) clothing traded between the United Kingdom and, respectively, the Six original member States of the EEC and the non-Six in each of the years 1970 to 1978 and the current year to date.
§ Mr. Gryllsasked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will make a statement on the future of the textile import surveillance licensing scheme; and whether he thinks the registration of import intentions serves any useful purpose.
§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will make a statement on outward processing and free circulation of textiles within the EEC, and indicate what effects this will have upon the United Kingdom textile industry.
§ Mr. Eyre, [pursuant to the reply, 12 November 1979, c. 407]: Where outward processed goods are subject to formal quota it is open to member States to apply to the Commission to halt free circulation where this would cause damage to the member State's industry. Outward processed goods not subject to formal quota can circulate freely within the Community without restriction. As regards the last part of the question, it is not possible to identify the size of the trade involved in the second category. It needs to be borne in mind however that the trade can be in both directions, outward from the United Kingdom to other member States as well as inwards.
§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for Trade if his Department will use article 115 of the Treaty of Rome to moderate the damaging effects upon the United Kingdom textile industry of the free circulation of imported goods that are subject to quota.
769W
§ Mr. Eyre[Pursuant to the reply, 12 November 1979, c. 408]: Yes. My Department applies to the EEC Commission for, and frequently receives, authority to refuse to admit quotaed goods in free circulation where these seem likely to cause damage to the United Kingdom industry.
§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for Trade why the EEC Commission has failed to produce a satisfactory regulation on outward processing; and what steps his Department is taking to achieve a cohesive Community commercial policy for textiles.
§ Mr. Eyre[pursuant to the reply, 12 November 1979, c. 408]: The EEC Commission has put forward a proposal for a regulation establishing outward processing arrangements for certain textile products in those countries where most Community outward processing takes place. The proposal has not yet been adopted by the Council. The United Kingdom is taking a constructive part in discussions on the regulation in order to achieve the establishment of a common Community policy in this area.
§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for Trade what representations his Department intends to make to Egypt concerning the impact on United Kingdom exports of the tariff of between 64 and 80 per cent. on cotton yarns, between 120 and 145 per cent. on woven cotton cloth and between 96 and 190 per cent. on shirts imported into Egypt; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Eyre[Pursuant to the reply, 12 November 1979, c. 409]: I do not think it would serve a useful purpose to ask the Community to raise the matter. In the multilateral trade negotiations the developed countries stated that they did not expect developing countries to make concessions which were inconsistent with their individual development, financial and trade needs. The Egyptian Government would, I am sure, consider that the tariffs in question were covered by the terms of that statement.