§ Mr. Torneyasked the Secretary of State for Industry what estimate he has made of the indirect effects on United Kingdom textile and clothing industries of the implementation of the European Commission's outward processing proposal; and whether he has plans to alleviate any adverse indirect effects on those industries.
§ Mr. MacGregorIt is not possible to estimate the indirect effects on the United Kingdom textile and clothing industries of the outward processing activities of member States or of the Commission's proposals to harmonise member States' arrangements for the administration of special outward processing quotas for textiles and clothing. To the extent that any new arrangements would permit closer monitoring and control of outward processing outside normal restraint levels we should be in a better position eventually to evaluate the effects on United Kingdom industry.