Textiles (Hansard, 17 January 1990)

§ 50. Mr. Cryer
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the balance of trade in textiles in the last available quarter.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
Imports of textiles (SITC division 65) exceeded exports by £372 million in the third quarter of 1989.

§ Mr. Vaz
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assistance he is proposing to give to support the British textile industry.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
Firms in the United Kingdom textile and clothing industry are eligible for assistance310W under approved general aid schemes and, if located in assisted areas, regional aid schemes. A wide range of practical help is also available from my Department under the enterprise initiative. The European Commission has operated a ban on sectoral aid schemes for the industry since 1985.

§ 65. Mr. Riddick
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the wool textiles industry in West Yorkshire.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
The industry makes a significant contribution to the prosperity of the region. Since the early 1980s the United Kingdom wool textile industry as a whole has made a good recovery, recording significant gains in productivity and achieving an excellent exports performance. United Kingdom exports reached a record £613 million in 1988, with a new record likely in 1989; the industry also enjoys a favourable balance of trade.