VESTION:
IS IT THE INTENTION OF HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT TO ADAPT
COMPLETELY FROM 1ST JANUARY, 1974 TO THE PRESENT EUROPEAN
ECONOMIC COMMUNITY GENERALISED PREFERENCE SCHEME FOR
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES BEARING IN MIND THIS WOULD INVOLVE
GRANTING PREFERENCES ON TEXTILES AND FOOTWEAR WHICH ARE
BOTH EXCLUDED FROM THE CURRENT U.K. GENERALISED PREFERENCE
SCHEME?.
WHE
(142)
SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION:
IN THAT CASE, BEARING IN MIND THE FOLLOWING PUBLIC
STATEMENT OF THE RT. HON. A.G.F. RIPPON IN EARLY 1971
THAT IT MUST BE OUR CONTINUING CONCERN TO AVOID
DISCRIMINATION AGAINST HONG KONG IN FAVOUR OF ITS
PRINCIPAL COMPETITORS. UNQUOTE. IS IT THE INTENTION OF
HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT TO DISCRIMINATE AGAINST ITS
DEPENDANCIES, PARTICULARLY HONG KONG WHICH ARE AT PRESENT
EXCLUDED FROM PREFERENCES ON TEXTILES AND FOOTWEAR IN THE
EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY GENERALISED PREFERENCE SCHEME; ·
AND TO GIVE SUCH PREFERENCES INSTEAD TO COUNTRIES, SUCH
AS THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA WITH WHICH IT HAS NO CONSTITUTIONAL
TIES AND WHICH ARE NOT ASSOCIATED WITH THE EUROPEAN
ECONOMIC COMMUNITY?