§ Mr. Frank FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action he will take in order to protect the United Kingdom leather industry from unfair trading practices in the form of(a) export embargoes of raw hides and skins and (b) cash compensation schemes to promote exports.
§ Mr. Sainsbury[holding answer 24 July 1990]: Export embargoes and export subsidies affecting the United Kingdom leather industry were among the non-tariff trade measures that the Government notified to the EC Commission as priority United Kingdom targets for elimination or reduction in the GATT Uruguay round negotiations on non-tariff measures. The Commission, which negotiates on behalf of the Community, recently informed the GATT secretariat and the countries concerned of the Community's desire to see these measures removed. In the autumn the EC will be holding a series of bilateral negotiations on market access problems.