HC Deb 07 June 1932 vol 266 cc1755-6
7. Mr. REMER

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has received any reports as to the reorganisation of the Lancashire cotton industry; and if he will state what part the Lancashire Cotton Corporation has played in those reports?

Mr. RUNCIMAN

A matter in relation to the reorganisation of the Lancashire cotton industry on which I have received representations is the scheme which the industry has under consideration for concentrating production through a levy for the purchase of redundant machinery. As I have already stated in the reply which I gave on the 5th April to the hon. Member for Westhoughton (Mr. Ehys Davies), I have been in communication with the Joint Committee of Cotton Trade Organisations in regard to that scheme. The Joint Committee is representative of all sections of the industry, and I have had no separate negotiation with the concern to which the hon. Member refers.

Mr. REMER

May I ask if the best means of preventing redundancy in Lancashire would not be the closing down of the Lancashire Cotton Corporation?

9. Mr. HAMMERSLEY

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking with regard to the representations of the Manchester Cotton Association relating to the desirability in the interests of the trade of raw cotton lying in accredited Manchester warehouses being made tenderable against the Liverpool futures contract?

Mr. RUNCIMAN

I have received a communication on this subject from the Manchester Cotton Association. As the matter seems to me to be one for settlement between the interests concerned, and as the Manchester and Liverpool Cotton Associations and the other interests concerned are all represented on the Joint Committee of Cotton Trade Organisations, I am suggesting in reply that the Joint Committee should be invited to deal with this matter on behalf of the trade as a whole.

Mr. HAMMERSLEY

In view of the fact that on an earlier occasion when there was a conflict of opinion between Liverpool and Manchester in connection with this matter, the representations of the Board of Trade were the decisive factor, will my right hon. Friend look into it and see whether or not those representations could not be made in this case?

Mr. RUNCIMAN

I hope that an agreement will be reached between Manchester and Liverpool without the intervention of the Board of Trade.