HC Deb 12 June 1991 vol 192 cc580-1W
Mr. Mullin

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what are the quotas on imports from(a) Thailand and (b) Vietnam for (i) bed linens, (ii) yarn fabric, (iii) sewing thread, (iv) curtains, (v) shirts, (vi) porcelain tableware, (vii) matches, (viii) footwear, (ix) gloves, (x) headgear and (xi) trousers.

Mr. Sainsbury

Restrictions on the imports of yarns, sewing threads, fabrics, shirts, gloves and trousers originating in Thailand under the EC-Thailand MFA bilateral agreement are shown in table 1.

The import to the United Kingdom of bedlinen, curtains, porcelain tableware, matches, footwear, and headgear originating in Thailand is not restricted by quota.

Restrictions on the import of goods originating in Vietnam are set out in table 2.

Table 1
Product United Kingdom quota level (1991)
Synthetic spun yarns (MFA category 22) (includes some sewing threads) 425 tonnes
Cotton fabrics (MFA category 2) 1,108 tonnes
Fabrics of synthetic spun yarns (MFA category 3) 2,226 tonnes
T-shirts, knitted shirts etc. (MFA category 4) 5,539,000 pieces
Men's and boy's woven shirts (MFA category 8) 251,000 pieces
Woven trousers (MFA category 6) 395,000 pieces
Knitted gloves (MFA category 10) 2,726,000 pairs

Table 2
Product Quota level (notes) (1991)
Tableware of porcelain, china or pottery; ornaments or statuettes £23,100
Bedlinen, tablelinen, curtains, synthetic yarn and woven fabrics of synthetic yarn (MFA categories 20, 23, 34, 35, 36, 39, 40) 7 tonnes1
Shirts Import bane2
Matches Import ban
Footwear Import ban3
Gloves Import ban
Headgear Import ban4
Trousers Import ban5
1 Certain of these goods of flax, ramie, hemp or silk are unrestricted. Goods of this description of textile categories other than those listed are subject to an import ban.
2 Shirts of ramie or of silk are unrestricted.
3 Certain casual footwear (eg espadrilles) is unrestricted.
4 Certain headgear (eg straw hats and the like) is unrestricted.
5 Certain trousers for industrial wear are unrestricted.

Note: Full details of import licensing requirements are set out in the Open General Import Licence dated 4th December 1987.