§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assistance he is proposing to give to prevent the further decline of the footwear and textile industry; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RedwoodSectoral schemes for the textiles and clothing industries have been banned by the European Commission since 1985. However, eligible textile and clothing firms, and firms in the footwear industry, could benefit from a range of DTI schemes which are open to firms in most sectors.