11. Mr. GIDEON MURRAYasked the President of the Board of Trade what was the aggregate monetary value of fabric gloves, not of leather, imported into the United Kingdom from January to December, 1921, and January to March, 1922, respectively, also of cotton yarns of counts not over 120's exported from the United Kingdom consigned to Germany for the same two periods?
§ Mr. BALDWINWith the hon. Member's permission, I will circulate the answer to this question in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ following is the answer:
§ The aggregate declared value of gloves of textile materials registered during the year 1921 as imported into the United Kingdom was £701,115 (including £631,273 consigned from Germany). The corresponding value for the three months ended 31st March, 1922, was £297,252 (including £275,403 consigned from Germany). These values are inclusive of unknown, but probably small amounts in respect of knitted, netted or crocheted gloves. The declared value of cotton yarns of counts not over 120's exported from the United Kingdom, registered as consigned to Germany, amounted to £3,435,487 in the year 1921, and to £950,958 in the three months ended 31st March, 1922.
§ 22. Mr. KENYONasked the President of the Board of Trade the quantities and values of fabric gloves imported into Great Britain for the six months ended 30th June, 1922, and the corresponding information for the six months which ended 30th June, 1913?
§ Mr. BALDWINAs the answer contains a good many figures, I will, with the permission of the hon. Member, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the answer:
§ The following statement shows the quantity and declared value of gloves of textile materials registered during the six months ended 30th June, 1922, as imported into the United Kingdom.
| Doz. prs. | £ | |
| Gloves of woven fabric:— | ||
| Silk | 6,337 | 8,379 |
| Other | 287,783 | 214,398 |
| Gloves, knitted, netted or crocheted, including gloves of knitted fabric:— | ||
| Of cotton or of which the chief value is cotton | 655,828 | 467,745 |
| Of wool or of which the chief value is wool | 2,006 | 1,001 |
| Of other textile materials (not woven) | 40,058 | 31,311 |
| Total | 992,012 | 722,864 |
§ 30. Captain W. BENNasked the Prime Minister whether he can now announce the decision of the Cabinet in the matter of the proposed duty on glove fabrics and fabric gloves?
§ The PRIME MINISTER (Mr. Lloyd George)The members of the Committee which investigated the complaint by the manufacturers of fabric gloves and glove material have been asked to serve as a Committee to consider the representations made by the fine cotton spinning industry, and to report thereon to the Cabinet at such a date as will enable a decision to be arrived at on the Draft Order now before the House before the end of the Session.
§ Captain BENNWill the other Orders that have been made be similarly remitted to their Committee with a view to considering similar complaints from other industries, or is this a special case"
§ The PRIME MINISTERThis is undoubtedly a special case.
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYWill the right hon. Gentleman consider suspending the bringing into operation of other Orders until this Committee has reported on this special case?
§ The PRIME MINISTERNo, that question does not arise. It is all in the same Order. But I trust there will be a decision in a very few days.
§ Captain BENNWhy is special machinery set up in this special case, whereas other people, who are affected adversely by the other Orders, have the advantage of no such machinery?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe case is a special one for this reason: There was a great industry which technically has been ruled out from presenting its case to the Committee—
§ Captain BENNBy Act of Parliament.
§ The PRIME MINISTERWhether by Act of Parliament or otherwise, it has been ruled out. That is the view taken by the Committee. The Cabinet felt that, where there was an industry like this, which had been ruled out, whether for a technical reason or otherwise, it was 807 right that they should have that opportunity. There is no similar case that I am aware of.
Major BARNESWill the right hon. Gentleman, in view of the fact that the Committee acted upon this impression that, whether in consequence of an Act of Parliament or for some technical reason, they had to rule these people out, consider the advisability of amending legislation so that future Committees dealing with other things will not be under that impression, and will not need this special intervention of the Cabinet?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe Cabinet will have to consider whether it is likely to arise, or whether it is due to the very special conditions.
§ Captain BENNIf complaints comparable with the Lancashire complaint are made against other Orders, are they to be remitted in a similar way to the Committee?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThat is a purely hypothetical question. The Government will judge upon the circumstances, and I do not think they will judge unfairly.
§ Mr. KILEYWill the right hon. Gentleman be prepared to consider the advisability of adding some names to this Committee, in view of the profound dissatisfaction which exists as to the alleged bias of their opinion?
§ The PRIME MINISTEROn the contrary, the only application made by this powerful deputation last week was that their case should be heard by this Committee.
69. Mr. G. MURRAYasked the Minister of Labour what was the number of persons of both sexes employed in the fabric glove industry (not including leather gloves) in the United Kingdom in June, 1921.; and what is the number of persons so employed at the present time?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of LABOUR (Sir Montague Barlow)I regret to inform my hon. Friend that the information which he desires is not available. Figures for the number of workers 808 engaged in the manufacture of fabric gloves in July, 1921, and at; certain other dates are given in the published report of the Committee of Inquiry into the Fabric Glove Industry appointed by the Board of Trade under the Safeguarding of Industries Act. I am sending a copy of the Report to my hon. Friend.
§ Sir M. BARLOWUnfortunately, they are not available in detail, because, as I said in the House, I think last week, the figures, in the ordinary course, are not analysed out on these lines.
§ Mr. KILEYIs the hon. Gentleman aware that the figures given in that Report are not official at all?
§ Sir M. BARLOWSo far as they are in the Report, I imagine that they are official.
§ Mr. W. THORNEHow many of the people engaged in this particular industry are drawing unemployment benefit?
§ Sir M. BARLOWI would like notice of that question.