§ Mr. Masonasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give the import figures for carpet and carpet fibres in each of the last 10 years.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonThe information relating to carpets and the available information relating to yarn for carpets is as follows:
437W
Value million (cif) Year Carpets, carpeting and rugs Carpet yarn of polyamide fibres 1975 50 15 1976 69 23 1977 86 23 1978 113 26 1979 139 29
Year Carpets, carpeting and rugs Carpet yarn of polyamide fibres 1980 162 29 1981 179 30 1982 181 28 1983 219 37 1984 256 55 Source: Carpets—SITC/R2 Group 659 (less Sub-groups 659.1 and 651.7 and Item 651.63), Yarn—SITC/R2 Item 651.41 (part) (textured carpet yarn of continuous polyamide fibres); and corresponding headings under SITC/R1.
Note: Figures for carpet yarn for 1982 onwards refer only to the heavier duty yarns (over 50 tex).
§ Mr. Masonasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has presented proposals within the framework of negotiations on multi-fibre arrangements to safeguard specialist carpet manufacturers in areas where the industry is socially and economically necessary for the well-being of the community; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonWith very little United Kingdom production of knotted carpets, and most United Kingdom imports of other carpets coming from non-multi-fibre arrangement supplier countries, I consider that there is no case for any such proposals.
§ Mr. Masonasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his estimate of the number of persons employed in carpet manufacturing in each of the travel-towork areas in Yorkshire and Humberside.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonThe following information is based on 1981 census of employment data.
Number Barnsley TTWA 686 Bradford TTWA 1,059 Huddersfield TTWA 622 Wakefield and Dewsbury TTWA 765 Calderdale TTWA 2,129 Leeds TTWA 168 Keighley TTWA 105 Skipton TTWA 35