Lord HAWKEasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will use their offices to persuade the Japanese Government to modify their restrictions on the import of beef so that the EEC beef "mountain" may be reduced, and the Japanese consumer obtain beef at less exorbitant prices.
§ The MINISTER of STATE, FOREIGN and COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (Lord Goronwy-Roberts:)The international trading arrangements for beef are among the subjects under discussion in the GATT Multilateral Trade Negotiations, the object of which is to achieve greater liberalisation of world trade. Both Japan and the EEC are participating in these negotiations and the United Kingdom is playing an active part in the preparation of the EEC's negotiating position.