Written question asked by Gordon Prentice (Labour) on Tuesday, 16 March 1999, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 27 April 1999. It was answered by John Battle (Labour) on Tuesday, 27 April 1999 on behalf of the Department of Trade and Industry.

Dept of Trade and Industry

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps he is taking to support the cashmere industry.

Answer: Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to support the cashmere industry. [77648] Mr. Battle: My Department has worked hard to support the UK cashmere knitwear industry. In response to the US threat of punitive duties on imports of cashmere knitwear from the EU, we announced a bond scheme which indemnified exporters of UK-manufactured cashmere against losses arising from the US action. In the event, and after intensive lobbying from the UK Government, the US removed cashmere knitwear from the list of products subject to the US retaliation.

Secondary information