HC Deb 17 February 1993 vol 219 cc256-7W
27. Mrs. Helen Jackson

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to protect steel exports to the United States of America.

Mr. Heseltine

I raised this subject with Barbara Franklin, the then United States Secretary of Commerce, by letter on 11 December. I have also written to her successor, Ron Brown, urging him to focus on these matters at the earliest opportunity.

The issue was raised at the Foreign Affairs Council on 2 February, when the United Kingdom joined other member states in condemning the United States actions as unacceptable. As a result the Community has requested formal consultations with the United States in accordance with the GATT subsidies code.

In addition, the EC fully supported Brazil in its denunciation of the United States decisions at the GATT Council on 9 February.