§ 17. Mr. DOUGLAS HACKINGasked the President of the Board of Trade what reply he has made to the representations from the Cotton Spinners and Manufacturers Association to the effect that the provisional agreement in India has not led to any notable improvement in Lancashire trade?
§ Mr. W. GRAHAMI have received from the Cotton Spinners and Manufac- 777 turers Association a communication which I understand to be the one referred to by the right hon. Gentleman. This communication did not appear to call for any reply.
§ Mr. HACKINGIn that communication was the opinion expressed that the right hon. Gentleman had misled the country in the, interview he gave at Edinburgh to the effect that the Lancashire cotton industry had improved as a result of the Irwin-Gandhi agreement which had been arrived at?
§ Mr. GRAHAMNo. Various statements were made in that communication, but I entirely repudiate the suggestion that in the interview I in any way misled the country.
§ Mr. HACKINGCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether his statement included an assertion to the effect that the Lancashire cotton industry had improved as a result of the signing of the Irwin-Gandhi agreement?
§ Mr. GRAHAMI take the view that the existence of such agreement does and will provide a better environment for commercial relations, and I think there are various points in which even now there is improvement, although I made it perfectly clear that it is an improvement within narrow limits.
§ Mr. HERBERT GIBSONDoes the right hon. Gentleman agree that the questions asked by the right hon. Member for Chorley (Mr. Hacking) are tending to bring about ill-feeling between this country and India?
§ Mr. SPEAKERAny further question must be put on the Order Paper?