§ 31. Mr. MacdonaldTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what approaches he has made to the European Commission regarding the RETEX programme.
§ Mr. Allan StewartOn 20 December the European Commission agreed a draft proposal for a RETEX scheme designed to assist areas dependent on the textiles industry. Member states and the European Parliament will be invited formally to comment on the draft proposal in the coming weeks, although Scottish Office and other United Kingdom officials had already made representations to the Commission in earlier discussions. The United Kingdom Government will naturally seek to ensure the most effective coverage of United Kingdom textile areas while avoiding any unfair competition against United Kingdom producers.