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115
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Mr Royle
RECEIVED IN
REGISTRY No. 51 -6DEC 1971
+KK
4/548/3
COTTON TEXTILES
3/12.
bet.
In Jabar
EL
1. The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has to
answer two Parliamentary Questions on Monday, asking whether
quotas are to be maintained. The DTI have heard that the
decision to retain quotas has now become known to the press
and is likely to appear on Sunday. Mr Davies would therefore
like to announce the Government's decision to maintain quotas
on Monday.
2. I have told the DTI that in my view the answers given
on Monday should not go beyond a statement that we are having
discussions with overseas suppliers and that he hopes to make
a statement very shortly. The substantive statement might
then be made on Tuesday if an opportunity can be found.
3.
This is obviously an unsatisfactory course from the point
of view of the DTI, but I do not think we can decently announce
the decision on Monday when that is the day we are receiving
the Hong Kong Delegation. Moreover, if the need to discuss
this question with foreign governments is brought out in the
House, it should do a little to remedy the damage done by our
abrupt reversal of earlier assurances
C
though the precise
phrasing of answers will need to be carefully considered,
since we must not pretend that we are engaging in consultations
CONFIDENTIAL
/when in