HC Deb 11 February 1980 vol 978 cc439-41W
Mr. Woolmer

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will give details similar to those published in the supplementary memorandum by the Departments of Trade and Industry on page 33 of the sixteenth report of the House of Lords Select Committee on the European Communities (Session 1978–79) of those

shareholding in Pakmet International Ltd., but retained its preference shareholdings.

Mr. Grylls

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list the total shareholdings of the National Enterprise Board at 31 January, the number and type of shares held, the percentage of total equity this represents, the total cost of the shares and, where appropriate, the market value of the shares at 31 January.

Mr. Michael Marshall

The reply which I gave on 27 June 1979—[Vol. 969, c. 188–94]—and amended on 7 December 1979—[Vol. 975, c. 374–78] should be further amended in respect of the following items:

specific European Commission documents which have been issued for discussion since June 1978 and which derive from the principles contained in the Commission document R2118–78, on textiles and clothing industries; and, where a response by the Government to the Commission has already been made, what that response was.

Mr. David Mitchell

[pursuant to his reply, 8 February 1980]: Document R/2118/78 touched on a number of issues which the Commission saw as elements of a Community policy for textiles and clothing industry.

As brought out in the supplementary memorandum referred to, the Commission subsequently put forward proposals for a framework regulation for community aid for industrial restructuring and conversion (R/2821/78) which was the subject of an explanatory memorandum by the Department of Industry on 11 December 1978. Commission proposals to designate the shipbuilding and textiles industries as eligible to receive aid under the above proposals were contained in draft instrument R/4301 /79 of 16 January 1979. An explanatory memorandum was submitted by the Department on 19 February 1979. Amendments to R/2821/78 and R/4301/79 were put forward by the Commission in draft instrument R/7705/79 of 18 June 1979, the subject of an explanatory memorandum dated 13 July 1979. Member States have not so far found these proposals acceptable.

As an interim measure the Commission proposed that ad hoc assistance should be made available to deal with the specific problem of over-capacity in the man-made fibre industry. This proposal, which was agreed by the Council of Ministers of 20 December 1979, was contained in draft instrument R/1875/79, the subject of an explanatory memorandum submitted on 21 January 1980.

In draft instrument R/6150/79 of 4 April 1979 the Commission put forward proposals for a second EEC research and development programme for textiles and clothing. The Department submitted an explanatory memorandum on 22 June 1979. While the United Kingdom has supported this proposal, other member States have not yet felt able to do so.