§ Mr. Kilfedderasked the Secretary of State for Trade which particular items of clothing and textiles have seen the greatest increase in imports from the United States of America since 1978; and what estimates he has made of how this market penetration has affected the jobs situation in the British textile and clothing industries.
§ Mr. ParkinsonImports of the main groupings of clothing and textile products during the first 10 months of 1980 and the corresponding period of 1978 are given in the following table.
345WIt is not possible to make an accurate assessment of the direct impact of increased imports from the United States upon employment in the United Kingdom, since it is impossible to know the extent to which these imports have displaced United Kingdom-manufactured goods or imports from other sources.
Metric Tonnes Product January-October 1978 January-October 1980 Textile yarn 12,266 25,111 Cotton fabrics, woven (not including narrow or special fabrics) 5,716 4,815 Fabric woven of man-made fibres (not including narrow or special fabrics) 5,624 8574 Textile fabrics, woven, other than of cotton or man-made fibres 626 581 Knitted or crocheted fabrics (including tubular knit fabrics, pile fabrics and open-work fabrics) 679 3,263 Tulle, lace, embroidery, ribbons, trimmings and other small wares 167 4,769 Special textile fabrics and related products 1,897 4,769 Made-up articles, wholly or chiefly of textile materials, n.e.s. 1,632 4,152 Floor coverings, etc. Synthetic fibres suitable for spinning 2,193 3,818 Other man-made fibres suitable for spinning and waste of man-made fibres 970 1,554 Men's and boys' outer garments of textile fabrics (other than knitted or crocheted goods) 639 1,984 Women's, girls' and infants' outer garments of textile fabrics (other than knitted or crocheted) 66 338 Under garments of textile fabrics (other than knitted or crocheted) 41 167 Outer garments and other articles, knitted or crocheted, not elastic or rubberised 307 1,765 Under garments, knitted or crocheted, of wool or fine animal hair, not elastic or rubberised 113 708 Clothing accessories of textile fabrics (other than knitted or crocheted goods) 47 172