§ MR. CHIOZZA MONEYI beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that Messrs. J. and P. Coats, Limited, have made an arrangement with the English Sewing Cotton Company, Limited, whereby their joint products are handled by a single distributing agency, the Central Agency, Limited; that the businesses so amalgamated transact 95 per cent, of the entire home and export sewing cotton trade of the United Kingdom; that, as a consequence, the price of sewing cotton is higher than it would be if free competition existed; and whether he can see his way to take steps, by legislation or otherwise, to secure public control of this important trade.
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY TO THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. KEARLEY, Devonport)I believe that the statement in the first part of the Question is correct. I have no official information as to the home and export transactions of the businesses named, and there are no means of saying 548 whether the price of sewing cotton to the consumer is or is not higher than it would have been if the arrangement referred to had not existed. As my hon. friend was previously informed, my right hon. friend the President of the Board of Trade is not prepared to introduce legislation in the sense of his suggestion.