§ Mrs. MahonTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will seek an extension of the European regional development fund non-quota textile area regulation initiative; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. AtkinsCouncil regulation (EEC) No. 724/75, on which the 1980 and 1984 textile area "non-quota" regulations are based, has been repealed. The current textile area regulation expires on 31 March 1989 and no further financial allocations can be made under it.
These special "non-quota" measures were always intended to operate for a limited period and to depend on the substantial European regional development fund funding which was temporarily made available.
However, small and medium-sized firms throughout Great Britain may now apply for the new consultancy grants recently announced as part of my Department's enterprise initiative.