TNAG-0520-FCO40-615-Visit-of-Lord-Goronwy-Roberts--Parliamentary-Under-Secretary-1987 — Page 56

11

Trade

Question:

Minister:

Question:

May I ask you two related questions on trade:

The British clothing industry, specifically the knitwear

sector is saying some very harsh things about imports

from Hong Kong. To what extent do you expect these views to be taken into account in formulating government policy.

The relevant fields are Ilong Kong vis-a-vis the E.E.C.

General Scheme of Preference, also the coming textile

negotiations with the E.E.C.?

I welcome that question. I want to give once more a full

assurance that the United Kingdom Government will continue

to exert its very best endeavours to protect and promote

Hong Kong trading interests specifically in the fields you

mentioned, General Scheme of Preference within E.E.C.

and also, of course, the G.A.T.T. round of negotiations.

You and I can go into much further detail, I know, but I

hope that is the assurance that your question sought.

Could I ask you briefly one related question? Britain has

untill 31st to exercise a certain prerogative on tariffs on

goods imported from Hong Kong under the General Scheme of

Preference, will this prerogative be exercised in our favour?

Minister: We shall use every prerogative and right we have within

1.B.C. to secure the very best bargain we can for Hong Kong

and any other territory which is in relation to the United

Kingdom, and also for ourselves, we're in the E.E.C., we

are also in re-negotiation with E.E.C. to adjust and

improve a number of conditions of membership, one of which -

one of the most important of which is the relationship

of the E.E.C. in the future with what I must call for lack

of a better name the dependencies of the past, which continue

in special relationships to us, and Hong Kong is certainly

one of the very, very most important of those.

/12.