§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for Trade if, in the light of a recent statement by Mr. Peter Murphy, the United States textile negotiator indicating that the United States Administration intend to base new import quotas for textile and clothing products from low-cost countries on existing levels of trade, he will propose that the European Economic Community Council of Ministers adopts a similar policy; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. SproatThere are conflicting press reports of Mr. Murphy's statements. However, at the final session of the GATT textile committee in Geneva before Christmas he did state that the United States did not intend to seek cutbacks in actual trade levels from supplying countries.
178WThe Council of Ministers has already decided to seek cutbacks in actual trade levels of sensitive products from the Community's dominant suppliers. This goes further than the reported United States position.