HC Deb 07 June 1988 vol 134 cc426-8W
Mr. Fallon

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the nature of Her Majesty's Government's support for those voluntary restraint arrangements which remain in effect.

Mr. Alan Clark

In the case of those voluntary restraint arrangements which are continuing, the Government have told the industries concerned that for the present they are prepared to accept that the arrangements are justified. The negotiation of the arrangements is a matter for those industries.

Mr. Fallon

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on what date each of the voluntary restraint arrangements listed as remaining in effect in his answer of 30 March to the hon. Member for Darlington,Official Report, column 478, is known to have started.

Mr. Alan Clark

The inter-industry voluntary restraint arrangements covering footwear from Korea, special steels from Spain and cars and light commercial vehicles from Japan began in 1979. The arrangements for fork-lift trucks, machining centres and numerically controlled lathes with Japan began in 1983.

Mr. Fallon

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) what assessment he has made of the net cost to the economy of the voluntary restraint arrangement on numerically controlled lathes as against any benefit to United Kingdom industry of its continuation;

(2)what assessment he has made of the balance between the net cost to the economy of the voluntary restraint arrangement on cars from Japan and the benefits to the United Kingdom motor industry of its continuation;

(3)what assessment he has made of whether the net cost to the economy of the voluntary restraint arrangement on commercial vehicles from Japan outweighs the benefit to United Kingdom industry of its continuation;

(4)what assessment he has made of whether the net cost to the economy of the voluntary restraint arrangement on fork-lift trucks from Japan outweighs the benefit to United Kingdom industry of its continuation;

(5)what assessment he has made of whether the net cost to the economy of the voluntary restraint arrangement on machining centres from Japan outweighs any benefit to United Kingdom industry of its continuation.

Mr. Alan Clark

I refer my hon. Friend to my written answer of 26 April,Official Report, column 92–93, to a similar question by my hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr. Hamilton). The Government have no plans to carry out such assessments for vehicles VRAs with Japan.

Mr. Fallon

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will list those orderly marketing arrangements of which his Department is aware.

Mr. Alan Clark

I am not aware of any orderly marketing or similar arrangements between United Kingdom industries and third country suppliers affecting imports into the United Kingdom, other than those arrangements set out in the written answer to my hon. Friend on 30 March,Official Report, columns 478–479.

Mr. Fallon

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will place in the Library a copy of the document in which Her Majesty's Government set out their support for the voluntary restraint arrangement between the United Kingdom footwear industry and the Republic of Korea.

Mr. Alan Clark

No, I do not propose to make available correspondence about voluntary restraint arrangements which are continuing.

Mr. Fallon

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster which of the voluntary restraint arrangements listed in his answer to the hon. Member for Darlington of 26 April,Official Report, columns 91–92, December 1987 have ended, and which remain in effect.

Mr. Alan Clark

The Government have told the industries concerned that the arrangements should end on 31 December 1987. This information has of course been made public.