§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) what action has been taken by his Department to monitor the assurances given by YKK Fasteners (United Kingdom) Limited, referred to in his letter to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr of 4th June 1974, that over the next four years it plans to increase substantially the United Kingdom manufactured content of its products and correspondingly to reduce significantly its imports of both complete fasteners and components, and if he remains satisfied with the assurances;
(2) if the estimates of imports and exports for the next three years given to his Department in late 1975 by YKK Fasteners (United Kingdom) Limited, and referred in the letter to hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr of 5th January 1976, are proving reliable; and what action he proposes to take.
Mr. Alan Williams, pursuant to Mr. Cryer's reply [Official Report, 15th March 1978; Vol. 946, c. 199–200], gave the following information:
The value of YKK's imports, net of its exports, has not declined as the company has forecast, and indeed increased
364WThe annual contribution from levy funds to the cost of post-school training by each ITB and the Foundry Industry Training Committee in 1974–75, 1975–76 and 1976–77 is as follows:
in 1977, though the volume of imports was lower than for 1976. The Department continues to impress on YKK its concern to see the level of imports decline.