asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will now take action against the dumping in the United Kingdom of cheap footwear from COMECON countries.

My Department is always ready to consider action under the Customs Duties (Dumping and Subsidies) Act 1969 provided that the evidence necessary to support an application is submitted. No application has been received in respect of footwear from COMECON countries since 1973, when the anti-dumping application was put into abeyance with the agreement of the industry.