§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has made to the European Economic Community in respect of sectoral aids for the textile industry provided by the Italian, French and Belgian Governments and their impact on competition within the EEC.
§ Mr. TrippierI shall reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.
§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the percentage growth in the imposts into the United Kingdom of clothing and textiles it the third quarter of 1983; and how this figure compares with the percentage growth in exports for the same period.
§ Mr. ChannonBetween the second and third quarters of 1983, the growth in United Kingdom exports (f.o.b.) of clothing and textiles by value was 4 per cent. The corresponding growth in imports (c.i.f.) was 6 per cent.
§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) when he expects to make a statement on the report, "A Plan for Action", submitted to his Department by the British Textiles Confederation in March 1983;
(2) what estimate his Department has made of the impact on competition of pound sterling/continental exchange rates with particular reference to the textile and clothing industry;
(3) if he will make a statement on the implications for the United Kingdom textile industry of the approximately £100 million aid scheme for the industry in France which has been approved by the EEC Commission; and what representations he has made to the EEC about the scheme;
(4) if ho will make a statement on the implications for the United Kingdom textile industry of the investment of £1,600 million made by the Italian Government in their man made fibre industry over the nine years to 1984; and what representations he has made to the EC about this unfair sectoral aid;
38W(5) if he will extend the small engineering firms investment scheme to embrace the textile and clothing industry by applying the scheme to individual establishments instead of to the total employing enterprise;
(6) what decision he has reached on the proposition submitted by the British Textile Confederation in its report "A Plan for Action" that there should be a five year scheme of interest abatement, whereby the interest rate paid by the textile industry for approved investment plans would be fixed at 5 per cent. with the balance between that rate and the commercial rate financed by the Government; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. TrippierI shall reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to come to a conclusion on the proposals for investment support for the textile industry in the report published by the British Textile Confederation entitled "A Plan for Action", a copy of which has been sent to him.
§ Mr. TrippierI shall reply to the right hon. Member as soon as possible.