Me
Cutting dated
THE TIMES
17 JAN 1972
19
Hongkong textile talks report for 3: MPs today
By Guy Hawtin
Mr Nicholas Ridley, Parliamen- tary Under-Secretary at the Department of Trade and Industry, is expected to report to the Com- mons today on last week's talks with Hongkong on textile quotas. He will be answering a question on the subject.
Two years ago it was decided that the quota system on woven cotton textile imports coming into Britain would be replaced by tariffs. However, the worsening employment situation at home led to the Government's recent decision to retain quotas with the tariffs, at least in the short term.
This caused great concern Hongkong, and the colony's dele- gation-composed of government officials and textile industry repre- sentatives-pointed out that for two years the textile industry there has geared itself to a quota- free British market.
In
During last week's talks the dele- gation emphasized that the Hong- kong textile industry could face considerable difficulties because of the recent rate of high capital in- vestment. They also stated that British suppliers would also experi- ence grave difficulties because they had geared themselves to deliveries from the colony.
The length of the talks and the absence of a mutual statement are fair indications-no matter what protests to the contrary--that the colony has won few concessions, if any, from the British Govern. ment.
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RAGISTRY No. $1
Tocan 17, 2
HKKG/508/1
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Mr Laird
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