§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Minister for Trade (1) what was the actual level of imports of pyjamas and nightdresses from China in 1980; what was the quota in 1982; and what percentage increase this figure represents;
(2) what was the actual level of imports of jackets and blazers from the Philippines in 1977, 1978, 1979 and 1980; what is the quota for 1982; and what percentage increase this figure represents over the figure for 1977;
(3) what was the level of imports of anoraks from Sri Lanka in 1979 and 1980; what is the quota for 1982; and what percentage increase this figure represents over the 1979 figures;
(4) what was the actual level of imports of brassieres from Macao in 1978, 1979 and 1980; what is the quota for 1982; and what percentage increase this figure represents over the 1978 figure;
82W(5) what was the actual level of imports of undergarments from Singapore in 1980; what is the quota for the first six months period of 1982; and what percentage increase on an annual basis this figure represents;
(6) what was the actual level of imports of undergarments from South Korea in 1980; what is the quota for 1982; and what percentage increase this figure represents;
(7) what was the actual level of imports of knitted and woven dresses from South Korea in 1980; what is the quota for 1982; and what percentage increase this figure represents;
(8) what was the actual level of imports of Turkish cotton fabric in 1980; what is the quota for 1982; and what percentage increase this figure represents.
§ Mr. Peter ReesThe information requested is as follows:
(i) China, Category 25 (Women's, girls' and infants' (other than babies') knitted or crocheted pyjamas and nightdresses)
United Kingdom imports pieces 1982 quota pieces 1980 240 120,000 (ii) Philippines, Category 17 (Men's and boys' woven jackets (excluding waister jackets) and blazers)
United Kingdom imports pieces 1982 quota pieces 1977 4,718 130,000 1978 43,764 1979 94,029 1980 64,847 (iii) Sri Lanka, Category 21 (Parkas, anoraks, windcheaters, waister jackets etc)
United Kingdom imports pieces 1982 quota pieces 1979 7,272 416,000 1980 299,334 (iv) Macao, Category 31 (Brassieres)
83W
United Kingdom imports pieces 1982 quota pieces 1978 12,000 988,000 1979 727,621 1980 1,586,990 (v) Singapore, Category 13 (Men's and boys' underpants and briefs; women's, girls' and infants' (other than babies) knickers and briefs, knitted or crocheted, not elastic or rubberised)
United Kingdom imports pieces 1982 quota pieces 1980 972,846 1,550,000 The provisional quota for this category (January to June 1982) was 1 million pieces.
(vi) South Korea, Category 13 (as above)
United Kingdom imports pieces 1982 quota pieces 1980 398,940 2,420,000 * includes an exceptional 300,000 pieces for 1982 only. (vii) South Korea, Category 26 (Women's, girls' and infants' (other than babies) woven and knitted or crocheted dresses)
United Kingdom imports pieces 1982 quota pieces 1980 202,401 430,000 (viii) Turkey, Category 2 Woven fabrics of cotton, other than gauze, terry fabrics, narrow woven fabrics, pile fabrics, chenille fabrics, tulle and other net fabrics)
United Kingdom imports tonnes 1982 quota tonnes 1980 115 1,000 All import figures are quoted on an "impure special" trade basis.
With the exception of the quota on Turkish cotton cloth, which was imposed by the Commission under the safeguard provisions of the EC-Turkey association agreement, all the quotas given in this answer were negotiated under the basket extractor procedure incorporated in the Community's bilateral textiles agreements with these countries under the MFA. Under this procedure, once imports by the United Kingdom of a particular category from a particular supplier pass a certain percentage of the Community's total imports of that category from all third countries in the previous year—a level known as the trigger level—the United Kingdom can ask the Commission to open consultations with the supplying countries in order to negotiate a quota. This quota can in no case be lower than the level of imports notified to the supplying country at the time of the request for consultations. It is not, therefore, related in any way to the level of imports achieved before the trigger level was reached and it would not be meaningful to calculate percentage differences between any two such figures.