§ Mr. Woolmerasked the Minister for Trade (1) if the continuing delays in the availability of statistics on imports of textiles and clothing has affected his ability to assess if action under an anti-surge mechanism is required;
(2) what assessment he has made of increased levels of imports of textiles and clothing since mid-1981 as part of his policy of implementing an anti-surge mechanism should the need arise.
§ Mr. Peter Rees[pursuant to his reply, 25 May 1982, c. 261]: The new EC bilateral agreements to be negotiated under the extended MFA, which it is intended should include the proposed anti-surge mechanism, should not come into force until 1 January 1983.
In the meantime, import statistics for 1982 are now becoming available and I expect the necessary figures for both 1981 and 1982 to be available in time should extraordinary action be necessary later this year to counter any exceptional surge of imports in 1982.
358W
§ Mr. Woolmerasked the Minister for Trade (1) on what dates statistics on imports of textiles and clothing for each of the months from September 1980 to June 1981 were made available to the British Textile Confederation;
(2) on what dates statistics on imports of textiles and clothing for each of the months since September 1981 were made available to the British Textile Confederation;
(3) if he has received any representations concerning the delays in publishing statistics on the imports of textiles and clothing products;
(4) what is now the latest month for which data are available on imports of textiles and clothing products.
§ Mr. Peter Rees[pursuant to his reply, 25 May 1982, c. 261]: A number of representations relating to the delayed availability of these statistics have been received in this and other Departments concerned. The dates when the computer tapes containing the detailed statistics were made available by the Statistical Office of Her Majesty's Customs and Excise were as follows:
Date of Despatch of Information‡ Statistics Relating to General System* Special System* September 1980 17 October1980 Not applicable October 1980 21 November 1980 November 1980 18 December 1980 December 1980 20 January 1981 25 August 1981† January 1981 18 February 1981 26 August 1981 February 1981 18 August 1981 26 August 1981 March 1981 10 December 1981 25 January 1982 April 1981 12 March 1982 12 March 1982 May 1981 5 April 1982 5 April 1982 June 1981 5 April 1982 5 April 1982 September 1981 28 October 1981 28 October 1981 October 1981 1 December 1981 3 December 1981 November 1981 6 January 1982 18 January 1982 December 1981 12 February 1982 12 February 1982 January 1982║ 10 May 1982 12 May 1982 Source: Her Majesty's Customs and Excise Statistical Office.
* The general and special systems of recording trade (respectively corresponding broadly to total imports into the United Kingdom and to those from outside the European Community) are defined in the prefatory notes to the Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom.
† Order placed in March 1981 and affected by the Civil Service 359W strike.
‡It is understood that the British Textile Confederation has access to all this information, some of which is provided to its order, although it is not supplied to it direct.
║ The latest month for which the data are available is January 1982.
§ Mr. Woolmerasked the Minister for Trade what was the percentage change in value and in volume of imports of textiles and clothing from (a) low cost sources, (b) the European Economic Community and (c) other
Imports of Textiles and Clothing from Specified Areas: Month-on-Month Value Changes (Increase in value of imports, cif, in month compared with value, cif, in same month of previous year) (per cent.) Area whence consigned October 1981 November 1981 December 1981 January 1982 European Community +46 +51 +38 +36 Low cost sources +25 +40 +14 +20 Other + 9 + 6 0 + 3 Source:
Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom, SITC (R2) Divisions 65 and 84.