§ Mr. Meadowcroftasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he has taken to seek to prevent the infringement of United Kingdom sovereignity by the operation of United States controls on exports from the United Kingdom of goods, including United States components or technology; how many individual cases regarding re-export controls he has taken up with the United States Government since 1983; in what circumstances he has not permitted United Kingdom companies to make a commercial decision as to whether to comply with United States re-export controls; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I continue to emphasise to the United States Administration the Government's objections to United States claims to extraterritorial controls over exports and to warn of the damaging consequences to our mutual interest of attempts to enforce such claims in the United Kingdom. We continue to make efforts to prevent or354W resolve problems arising from such claims under the consultation arrangements agreed by the United Kingdom and the United States Governments in November 1984. Since 1983 we have taken up about 20 cases with the United States authorities regarding re-export controls. In 1982, directions under the Protection of Trading Interests Act were made to prohibit seven United Kingdom firms from complying with the United States embargo on exports and re-exports of United States origin goods and technology destined for the west Siberian pipeline project in the USSR.