§ Mr. McMahonasked the Minister for Trade if he has any plans to assist the printing industry.
§ Dr. VaughanPrinters can apply for assistance under various Government schemes to improve the efficiency and competitiveness of British industry, and many have done so. The Government also assist the industry by negotiating duty-free quotas for certain imported printing papers; pressing to remove non-tariff barriers to trade imposed by other countries; and trying to reduce the problems in certain overseas markets of pirate printing. In this connection we are giving special attention to the problems of counterfeiting generally. The Government have received an application to establish a scheme of assistance under the Industry Act to help the book production sector of the industry. This is being considered.
§ Mr. McMahonasked the Minister for Trade when he last met the employers and the trade unions involved in the printing industry.
§ Dr. VaughanI have met employers in the course of the past year and I intend to meet both trade union and employer representatives on the NEDC printing industries sector working party very shortly.