Statement by Unofficial Members of the
Textiles Advisory Board
Mr. Chairman, I speak on behalf of all Unofficial
Members of this Board.
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2.
We have asked you to call this emergency meeting today to draw your attention to the widespread concern which
is felt in the textile and footwear industries as a result of
HMG's decision to discriminate against imports from HK of textiles
and footwear to the UK market in 1974.
3.
We are concerned on several counts.
4.
We are distbed that HMG could have agreed to a position whereby one of its dependent territories should have been singled
out for discriminatory treatment in the UK market and that our competitors, with no constitutional ties with the UK whatsoever,
should be especially favoured. We find it hard to believe that South Korea and Yugoslavia, to quote just two examples, should be preferred to HK. We regret to say that this action by HMG raises doubts about
the force with which the HK Government represented the concern expressed earlier by this Board, and by several of the local trade
and industrial associations, when we first saw the possibility of discrimination arising against HK.
5.
Of greater concern to us is whether we can place any
reliance on statments made by HMG and UK Ministers and officials. We recall particularly the public avowal made by Mr. Rippon when he visited HK, that HK's interests would be protected by HMG and
that on UK entry into the EEC, it would be HMG's continuing concern
to avoid any situation in which HKwas discriminated against.
Similar statements by others have subsequently been made. We have
also been assured publicly on many occasions that HMG would defend
our interests in the EEC, and, indeed, that as a Member State that
defense would be all the more effective.
16.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.