§ 19. Mr. MacdonaldTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on his recent discussions with other Departments about assistance for the Harris Tweed industry. [118144]
§ Mr. WilsonI am in regular discussion with the Scottish Executive and British Trade International about assisting the Harris Tweed industry in promoting and marketing its product, particularly overseas. We are also planning a major PR event for the industry to be held at Dover House later this year.
475WIn the meantime, the consultants retained by Western Isles Enterprise on duty rates have spent the last few months lobbying influential US business organisations to enlist support for the Harris Tweed Authority's bid to amend their preferential tariff to encompass double-width cloth. They have encountered no objections to this move.