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13 MAY 1975
further restrictions can be justified. We recently introduced import surveillance arrangements which will enable us to monitor promptly and precisely a wide range of textile imports and which will help us to decide what further action, if any, may be necessary.
The British Textile Confederation has proposed a 20 per cent. cut across the board on the level of imports. Hon. Members have vigorously pursued their campaign in support of that proposal. Such restrictions would have major implications for Government policy. How- ever, we are carefully considering all the possible consequences of the proposal before reaching a decision.
The hon. Gentleman also raised the
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tion to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services to see what she thinks about it.
I am as much concerned as my hon. Friend about New Palace Yard. I under- stand that it is likely to be finished in the autumn. The lime trees arc to be pleached, but it will be some time before they reach out their arms to grasp each other.
On that note, I commend the motion to the House.
Sir Frederic Beanett: The right hon. Gentleman knows of my interest in a very human matter. I have done my best to raise with him whether we may have a definitive statement about our attitude particular reference to those stranded in towards the Vietnamese refugees. with
Hong Kong. When I asked the right hon. Gentleman about the matter a few days ago, I think that he misunderstood. He referred me to a general Written Question, which I could not have seen then and which made it clear that the only refugees coming here would be those with close ties and connections with this country. There are obviously not many of them. As no such limitations were placed on the
question of the footwear industry, of imports of men's leather footwear from Eastern Europe in particular. We are well aware that the high level of imports is causing great concern to the United Kingdom footwear industry. We have been holding a series of consultations with Czechoslovakia, Poland and Romania about the level of their exports of men's leather footwear to the United Kingdom. The discussions have taken longer than we would have wished but it is expected to be possible very shortlyChilean refugees, wde are entitled to a to make an announcement about their outcome. I hope that the hon. Gentle- man will find the announcement to his satisfaction.
The hon. Gentleman also raised the question of mobile homes. There is a point here. I do not know whether the hon. Gentleman was in the House last Friday when the Mobile Homes Bill was discussed. He will see at column 182 of the Official Report for 9th May that my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Environment replied on that point. My hon. Friend the Member for Lam- beth, Central (Mr. Lipton) made two useful suggestions, one to save money, which I shall consider, and the other to spend money by providing envelopes for constituents to write to their Mein- bers. When I was Postmaster-General in the last Labour Government I tried out a similar idea on a modest scale for retired people and people living alone. I shall pass on my hon. Friend's sugges-
i
statement to make sure that there is no element of double standards. These are matters of real hardship involving many thousands of people, including some for whom we have direct responsibility as the colonial Government.
Mr. Short: I know that the hon. Gen- tleman is very concerned about the ques- tion, as are a number of hon. Members. I replied off the cuff last Thursday. I remembered a Written Question down for that day, and I am afraid I breached the rules of order by quoting the answer. I apologise to the hon. Gentleman for that.
realise that it was not quite on the point he was making. I shall pass on to my right hon. Friend the Foreign and Com- monwealth Secretary what the hon. Gen- tleman has said and put the hon. Gentle- man's suggestion to him.
Question put and agreed to.
Resolved,
That this House at its rising on Friday 23rd May do adjourn till Monday 9th Junc.
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