HC Deb 06 May 1980 vol 984 c11W
Dr. Summerskill

asked the Secretary of State for Trade, in view of possible redundancies in Halifax, what proposals he now has for assisting the tufted carpet industry, in view of the fact that quota restrictions have been placed on United States-made nylon carpet yarn but not upon United States man-made fibre tufted carpet imports.

Mr. Parkinson

The European Commission rejected the United Kingdom application for quota restrictions on imports of tufted carpets, on the grounds that import penetration had not reached a level at which such restrictions would be justified under the rules of the GATT. But the Commission recognised the need for safeguard action if imports continued to increase and caused injury to the United Kingdom industry. We will continue to monitor the situation closely.