TNAG-0520-FCO40-615-Visit-of-Lord-Goronwy-Roberts--Parliamentary-Under-Secretary-1987 — Page 37

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Question:

Minister:

Question:

In view of your confidence in the state of the British

economy, perhaps you can give an assurance that no

unilateral quotas on imports into the U.K. beyond those which already exist at the present time will be imposed; and if you are not able to give this assurance would you be able to give an assurance that, should such quotas be imposed, Hong Kong would be exempted from them?

You are speaking of new quotas, or the new system of quotas?

Possibility of any new quota restriction on import of goods into the U.K.

Minister:

Question:

Minister:

I can't anticipate the course or the conclusion of current negotiations on this or any other aspect of our membership and its impact on you or any other part of, should I say, the British societies round the world. However, I would like to repeat for emphasis in answer to that question of practice now and our continuing intention to negotiate very strongly indeed and not only resist extra further restrictions on trade for territories such as yours, but if we possibly can, to reduce them and to liberalise as far as possible your opportunities.

In fact when I asked that question I wasn't specifically referring to arrangements within the E.E.C. I was referring to the possibility of some overall import quotas being imposed by the U.K. and in the event of such imposition whether Hong Kong would be exempt?

Well, I can't envisage or anticipate bilateral happening of that sort. I would mislead you if I tried to give an answer to what I very much think is a hypothetical situation. However, I think you have a very good point here, if I may say so, in terms of other bilateral impacts on your trade here,

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