HC Deb 28 April 1988 vol 132 cc222-3W
Mr. Fallon

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what discussions have taken place within or at the time of meetings of the Council of Ministers, on interindustry voluntary restraint agreements, and within or at the time of which meetings.

Mr. Alan Clark

Inter-industry voluntary restraint agreements are negotiated by the industries concerned. I am not aware of any recent discussion within or at the time of meetings of the Council of Ministers.

Mr. Fallon

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to his answer of 30 March,Official Report, column 478, by what means the Government informed the industries concerned with certain voluntary restraint arrangements that they saw no case for continuation; and whether they will place copies of such communications in the Library.

Mr. Alan Clark

The industries concerned were informed in writing through their trade associations. I have placed copies of these letters in the House Library.

Mr. Fallon

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will place in the Library a copy of the arrangements on footwear concluded between the industry concerned and the Republic of Korea, and a copy of the proposals for their renewal.

Mr. Alan Clark

This is a matter for the United Kingdom footwear industry and its counterpart in the Republic of Korea between whom the voluntary agreement is negotiated.

Mr. Fallon

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in what form restraint agreements negotiated by the European Commission on behalf of the United Kingdom are notified to(a) the House and (b) the Select Committee on European Legislation.

Mr. Alan Clark

The contents of the informal voluntary restraint arrangements negotiated by the Commission on behalf of the United Kingdom are confidential and are not published.

Mr. Fallon

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will list those restraint agreements negotiated by the European Commission in addition to the multi-fibre arrangement in certain limited textiles and clothing, giving the date of commencement and extent of each such agreement.

Mr. Alan Clark

The European Community has negotiated the following informal restraint arrangements on textile and clothing products. Apart from the arrangement with China, these arrangements cover trade in multifibre arrangement (MFA) products with the Community's preferential trading partners (with whom there is no separate bilateral MFA agreement). The restraint arrangement with China is linked to the EC/China bilateral textiles agreement, but relates to a product which is not classified in Customs terms as a textile product. Details of these arrangements are not published.

Turkey

  • Textile products: cotton yarn, certain cotton fabrics and acrylic yarns1.
  • Present arrangements commenced 1 January 1987 (1 January 1988 for cotton yarn)

Egypt

  • Cotton yarn, cotton fabric and bed linen 1. Present arrangement commenced 1 January 1987 (1 January 1988 for cotton yarn).

Malta

  • Trousers1. Present arrangement commenced 1 January 1988.

Morocco

  • Trousers2. Present arrangement commenced 1 January 1987.

Tunisia

  • Cotton fabric and trousers 3 Present arrangement commenced 1 January 1987.

China

  • Surgical dressings. The restraint arrangement was negotiated at the same time as the current bilateral textile agreement with China and commenced 1 January 1984.
  • 1 Other products in these arrangements are subject to surveillance licensing. Coverage may differ between the United Kingdom and other member states.
  • 2 Coverage may differ between the United Kingdom and other member states.
  • 3 Coverage may differ between the United Kingdom and other member states. Certain other member states have special arrangements for goods subject to outward processing.

Mr. Fallon

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when the United Kingdom asked the Commission of the European Communities to negotiate restraints on leather footwear from certain Eastern European countries; and on what date such restraints came into effect.

Mr. Alan Clark

In 1975 the United Kingdom footwear industry negotiated bilateral arrangements with its counterparts in Poland, Czechoslovakia and Romania to restrain imports of men's leather footwear during 1976. Further restraint arrangements were made covering women's and children's leather footwear during 1977. From 1977 the European Commission has annually renegotiated a continuation of these arrangements on behalf of the United Kingdom industry.