§ Mr. Cyril Smithasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will take steps to provide some protection for yarn imports, both cotton and man-made fibres, from quota-controlled countries and from Mediterranean associates.
§ Mr. MeacherApart from some limited duty-free tariff provisions under the EEC Generalised System of Preferences and the Mediterranean Agreements there is tariff protection on cotton and man-made fibre yarns. Quantitative import restrictions are in force for the import of cotton yarns from low-cost 469W sources, excluding the Mediterranean associates. Spun yarns of man-made fibres from Eastern area countries are subject to individual import licensing; Japan applies voluntary export control to yarns. I am fully prepared to take further steps necessary to protect legitimate British industrial interests if disruption occurs or an actual threat appears.