§ 22. Mr. WOMERSLEYasked the Home Secretary the number of woollen mills working in the West Riding in 1919; and the number of woollen mills working there at present?
§ Mr. SHORTThe number of woollen mills on the Factory Registers at the end of 1929 was 1,242. No similar figure is available at the Central Office for 1919, but inquiry will be made to see whether figures can be obtained from the district offices. The hon. Member may be interested to know that in 1904 when a return of woollen mills was got out for the purposes of a Parliamentary Return, the number registered at that time in the West Riding was 1,315.
§ 49. Mr. WISEasked the Prime Minister whether, having regard to the failure of the employers in the worsted and woollen industries to carry into effect the recommendations of various committees and commissions of inquiry as to the necessity of comprehensive reorganisation, the Government propose to take any action in order to avoid further reductions in the wages of the workers in the industry, or have sought or obtained the advice of the Economic Advisory Council in the matter; and, if so, what was the nature of the advice given?
§ The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER (Mr. Philip Snowden)I am not sure to what specific recommendations my hon. Friend refers, but I would refer him to the reply which my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade gave him on the 1st April, endorsing the suggestion in paragraph 62 of Lord Macmillan's Report, that possible sources of economy of the kind he has in mind should be examined further.
§ Mr. WISECan my right hon. Friend say whether any steps are being taken by the employers to examine those sources of economy before pushing down wages?
§ Mr. P. SNOWDENI am not aware of that, but I know that the employers in the West Riding of Yorkshire are very difficult people to deal with, and that a great many unsuccessful efforts have been made to carry out the reorganisation of the industry.
§ Mr. WISEDoes not the Government think that the measures taken, or proposed to be taken, for the cotton industry ought to be considered in the case of the woollen and worsted industries also, before wages are reduced?
§ Mr. P. SNOWDENI have told the hon. Member that a good many efforts of that sort have already been made, but, unfortunately, they have not been successful.
§ Mr. BRACKENIs it worth while to refer this matter to the Economic Advisory Council, staffed as it is by guinea pigs?
§ Mr. P. SNOWDENPerhaps if there were a few less guinea pig directors in our industrial concerns, the latter would be much more efficient and prosperous than they are to-day.
§ Mr. T. SNOWDENMay ask where the right hon. Gentleman ascertained that the employers in the West Biding were very difficult to deal with?
§ Mr. P. SNOWDENAs an employer in the West Riding, my hon. Friend will, I am sure, sympathise with the view that I express.
§ 69. Mr. WOMERSLEYasked the Secretary of the Overseas Trade Department whether he will arrange to pay a visit next month to Bradford and Huddersfield, and bring before local labour leaders a suggestion for an investigation into the causes of the decline in the export trade to South America of woollen textiles of inexpensive quality?
§ Mr. GILLETT (Secretary, Overseas Trade Department)I do not think the time is opportune to act on the suggestion put forward by the hon. Member.
§ Mr. WISEIs it not the case that one of the main difficulties is the inefficient and expensive marketing methods?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe question only refers to a visit to Bradford and Huddersfield.