§ 87. Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on current progress in the GATT talks in the multi-fibre arrangement.
§ 136. Mr. Nicholas WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the latest negotiations on GATT with particular reference to textiles and clothing and the future of the multi-fibre arrangement.
§ Mr. SainsburyThe current round of GATT negotiations is due to end in Brussels in the first week in December. The textiles negotiating group is meeting almost continuously in Geneva with a view to producing a draft text of an agreement on the integration into GATT of trade in textiles and clothing. Subjects being discussed include the length of the transitional period between the expiry of MFA IV and full liberalisation, the process by which the various categories of products are to be liberalised, the nature of the transitional safeguard mechanism and the link between the phasing out of the MFA and progress in other parts of the negotiations.