§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the development of the United Kingdom's crude trade balance in textiles and clothing during the period of the European Community's five-year bilateral textile agreements 1978 to 1982; and how this development differed as between low-cost suppliers liable to restraint and unresticted suppliers.
§ Mr. Channon[pursuant to the reply, 6 July 1983, c. 102]: Apart from a small fall in 1980, the crude deficit in the United Kingdom's trade in textiles and clothing increased from £468 million in 1978 to £1,399 million in 1982. Over the same period the deficit in trade with low-cost suppliers liable to restraint increased from £458 million to £773 million, while trade with unrestricted suppliers moved from a defict of £11 million in 1978 through a surplus of £11 million in 1980 to a deficit of £626 million in 1982. Over this period the United Kingdom clothing and textiles industry's exports remained fairly constant at about £2,000 million pa.