HC Deb 02 June 1931 vol 253 cc6-7
8. Mr. DOUGLAS HACKING

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has anything to report in connection with the reorganisation of the Lancashire cotton trade?

Mr. W. GRAHAM

My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary and I have again been in touch with the Joint Committee of Cotton Trade Organisations. A meeting of that body held on the 15th May unanimously adopted the resolutions referred to in the reply given on the 28th April to the hon. Member for Macclesfield (Mr. Remer), together with a further resolution recording the intention of the joint committee to collect, on a voluntary basis and without resort to statutory powers of inquiry, the information necessary for the formulation of a scheme. By that resolution the executive of the joint committee are instructed to proceed with the investigation and with the preparation, on the basis of the information obtained, of a plan for the consideration of the joint committee and of the trade generally, dealing with the adjustment of capacity and with all other measures for the reduction of costs which can be undertaken or encouraged by joint action.

Mr. HACKING

Has the right hon. Gentleman any indication that the information will be forthcoming on a voluntary basis?

Mr. GRAHAM

That is our hope at the present time. It is on that basis that we are proceeding at this stage.

Mr. REMER

When is this farce going to stop?

Mr. GRAHAM

Far from being a farce, this is an earnest endeavour on the part of all sections of the trade to put its house in order in Lancashire.