§ 36. Mr. Cunliffeasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the conclusion of negotiations on the multi-fibre arrangement.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkIt was agreed on 1 August by the signatories of the multi-fibre arrangement that it should be extended for a further five-year period. The Community has been negotiating the renewal of its bilateral agreements under the arrangement and 25 new agreements have now been initialled. The detailed quota levels which have been negotiated will be published in a Community regulation after all the negotiations are completed.
The new protocol and the agreements which have been negotiated meet the United Kingdom objectives that we outlined to the House in May 1985 and February 1986 and further details on these are given in a written answer on 21 October to my hon. Friend the Member for Leicester, East (Mr. Bruinvels) at column 779–80.