-7-
bear out allegations of creeping, let alone galloping, protectionism.
Economies like Hong Kong's benefit from such concessions as the
Generalised Scheme of Preferences.
An alternative stick to beat the developed countries with is that
although their tariffs have been falling for years these have been
replaced by a host of non-tariff restrictions, overt and covert.
One published study has argued that nearly of Britain's total
imports were subject to some form form of non-tariff restraint
in 1980. However, calculations in our Department of Trade, using
slightly different methods of definition and measurement, suggests
that less than 10% not of our imports would be a more accurate
figure. The total would include agricultural and industrial goods,
formal quotas (such as on textiles) and voluntary restraints.
b
A lip reader looking around this audience would no doubt see the
word "textiles" starting to form itself on many faces. I have been
shall be explaining more fully to the Governor and his colleagues7
and the representatives of your textile and garment industries7
the very real problems that the UK and Community textile and garments
industries have been suffering from and why the Multifibre
Arrangement, the MFA, restrictions have had to be extended. The
UK Government fully understands the strong feelings in Hong Kong
about these restrictions, though they have not prevented your
exports to us from growing by during the currency of the 2nd
MEA. We ask that you try to understand our position also.
Our industry has contracted a great deal. Over the past two years
more than 160,000 jobs have been lost and some 700 establishments
have closed. But that industry remains an important source