§ 78. Mr. James Lamondasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the effect on jobs in the United Kingdom textile and clothing industry of the accession to the EEC of Spain and Portugal.
§ Mr. TrippierNone. Any such estimate would be highly speculative. The existing restrictions on certain textile and clothing imports from Spain and Portugal to the Community market will, under agreed transitional arrangements, be phased out over a period of up to four years. Much will depend on the ability of United Kingdom firms to anticipate the effects of their accession as well as other developments occurring in the pattern of trade in these goods.