TNAG-0173-FCO40-209-United-Kingdom-Productivity-and-Efficiency-Study-effect-on-H-1969 — Page 116

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(G) THE TEXTILE CYCLE IS EXPECTED TO TURN DOWNWARDS IN 1970, A

YEAR IN WHICH IT WOULD HAVE BEEN EXTRAORDINARILY DIFFICULT

FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO HAVE LET THINGS GO ON AS THEY ARE. (H) YOU SHOULD REITERATE THE PRESIDENT'S ASSURANCE THAT WE ARE

NOT SETTING A PRECEDENT FOR TARIFFS ON OTHER COMMONWEALTH

PRODUCTS: COTTON TEXTILES ARE, BY INTERNATIONAL CONSENT, A SPECIAL CASE. AT THE MEETINGS REFERRED TO IN PARAGRAPH 3,

THIS POINT WILL BE STRONGLY STRESSED.

(1) THE TEXTILE COUNCIL IS NOT JUST ANOTHER TRADE ASSOCIATION.

IT IS A STATUTORY DEVELOPEMENT COUNCIL SET UP UNDER THE

INDUSTRIAL REORGANISATION AND DEVELOPMENT ACT, 1947, TO INCREASE THE PRODUCTIVITY AND EFFICIENCY OF THE INDUSTRY.

IT HAS AN INDEPENDENT CHAIRMAN, SIR JAMES STEEL OF THE STEEL GROUP, AND TWO ECONOMISTS AS INDEPENDENT MEMBERS, INCLUDING ONE (MRS. MILES) WHO HAS WORKED AT THE U.N. ON PROBLEMS OF

DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, THE COUNCIL RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE

TARIFF WAS UNANIMOUS.

J) DUTY FREE ENTRY FOR COTTON TEXTILES WILL CONTINUE TO APPLY

TO EFTA AND THE IRISH REPUBLIC BECAUSE OF OUR FREE TRADE

AREA COMMITMENTS TO THOSE COUNTRIES.

STEWART

FILES

COMMODITIES DEPT.

HD. OF HONG KONG DEPT.

COPIES TO:

MR. A.F. TOMS B.O.T.

MR. S. STEWART B.O.T.

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