§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) if he will list in the Official Report the number of new multi-fibre arrangement quotas negotiated in 1979; how many of these quotas 23W were triggered in 1978; and if he will give full details of these; how many of these new quotas exceed the trigger level; if he will give full details of these; and if he will make a statement on the Government's policy in this matter;
(2) why his Department permitted the EEC Commission at the request of third country suppliers to agree an increase in United Kingdom quotas under the multi-fibre arrangement in the following cases (a) Romania, category 8, original quota 665,000, revised quota 765,000, (b) Hungary, category 7, original quota 42,000, revised quota 62,000, (c) Hungary, category 8, original quota 153,000, revised quota 183,000, (d) German Democratic Republic, category 17, original quota 35,000, revised quota 45,000, (e) Hong Kong, category 21, original quota 2,945,000, revised quota 4,696,000, (f) South Korea, category 4, original quota 1,705,000, revised quota 1,735,000 (g) Philippines, category 4, original quota 1,608,000, revised quota 1,758,000, (h) Thailand, category 4, original quota 2,397,000, revised quota 2,557,000; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ParkinsonI will reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.
§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for Trade if the EEC Commission is able to seek to negotiate reductions in quotas under the multi-fibre arrangement and, if so, if he will urge this action when next discussing the multi-fibre arrangement at a Council of Ministers meeting.
§ Mr. ParkinsonThis would not be practicable and would be contrary to the Community's international obligations.