§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Trade what value of used (a) heavy plant and machinery and (b) machines tools was exported during 1980; how this compares with the exports for 1978 and 1979; and which countries were the importers.
§ Mr. Parkinson[pursuant to the reply, 5 February 1981 c. 161]: This information is not available. The statistics of overseas trade enable imports and exports of used machinery to be identified only to a limited extent.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will take steps to curb the export of secondhand plant, machinery and tools from the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Parkinson[pursuant to the reply, 5 February 1981, c. 161]: As I said in answer to the hon. Member for Workington (Mr. Campbell-Savours) on 14 January, I do not think that export controls would be justified in this instance; nor would they be consistent with our obligations under the Treaty of Rome and the GATT.