§ Mr. HendersonTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will take steps to initiate talks at European Community level between non-European Community producers and European Community members on the regulation of footwear imports to the European Community; and if he will seek to establish an agreement for footwear similar to the multi-fibre arrangement in textiles and clothing.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkThe United Kingdom already operates a range of quantitative restrictions on imports of footwear from Eastern Europe and China. EC member states will need to consider the findings of the Commission's Community-wide investigation into imports of footwear from Taiwan and South Korea before deciding what further action might be appropriate. We have asked the 71W Commission to look in particular at the effect of imports into the United Kingdom from Taiwan of women's made-to-order footwear.
§ Mr. HendersonTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps he has taken to seek an early decision from the European Commission arising out of its investigations into the injury caused to the United Kingdom footwear industry by excessive imports from Korea and Taiwan.
§ Mr. ClarkI have written to Commissioner Andriessen seeking an early decision on the need for safeguard action on imports into the United Kingdom of women's made-to-order footwear from Taiwan. The Commission is anxious, however, not to pre-judge the outcome of the Community-wide investigation into imports of footwear from South Korea and Taiwan. Commissioner Andriessen has assured me that the Commission will conclude their investigation as quickly as possible. I will of course consider what action is appropriate once the Commission's recommendations are known.