Assistants:
FID(1 EID(2 TPD
HVD-K246
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SAD
Reference
Euta & back tim.
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257
BRITISH TEXTILE IMPORT POLICY
I am trying to find out exactly what happened
at this morning's PC meeting, but have had at second hand a message from Mr Kershaw's office (Mr Kershaw, in the event, attended the meeting instead of Mr Godber) as follows:
"We were in a minority of one and Mr Kershaw reserved the Secretary of States position for Cabinet. The DTI say Hong Kong will not in fact be harmed. They propose to prove it to So that the decision therefore was that the two departments shall get together and the Secretary of State shall, if they can, have an agreed position by Monday of next week".
us.
2. I hope to put you more fully in the picture, particularly on timing, but assuming that the FCO loses, DTI have provided the attached drafts and as there will be very little time to give notice to governments in advance of an announcement in Parliament, these drafts are to be considered at the DTI tomorrow at 10.30 am. The attached drafts are:-
(i) a round-the-world draft telegram;
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
a draft aide-memoire for delivery to interested governments;
a draft passage for inclusion in the Minister's speech for the Affirmative Resolution debate;
draft press notice to be issued immediately after the announcement setting out the proposed import licensing arrangements for 1972.
On quick reading of the drafts as they affect particularly Hong Kong and India, I think they are awful. I had specifically asked DTI to aim at some justification for going against definite undertakings given to India and Hong Kong, but they have failed to do this.
3. I apologise for allowing so little time for you to comment but we shall need views (preferably written) by 5.30 p.m. this evening if we are to take account them in the meeting tomorrow.
CONFIDENTIAL
DD 896639 140609 500M 7/71 GM 3643/2