HC Deb 27 March 1939 vol 345 cc1840-1

Considered in Committee under Standing Order No. 69.

[Colonel CLIFTON BROWN in the Chair.]

Motion made, and Question proposed, That, for the purposes of any Act of the present Session to make provision for the better organisation of the cotton industry and certain industries related thereto, and for purposes connected with the matter aforesaid, it is expedient—

  1. (1) to authorise the payment out of moneys provided by Parliament to the Cotton Industry Board constituted under the said Act, in respect of each of the five years beginning with the year nineteen hundred and forty, of contributions towards expenses incurred by the said Board in the exercise of their powers—
    1. (a) to conduct, and to promote or encourage, research and investigation in matters relating to the consumption of products of the industry as denned by the said Act, and
      2. 1841
    2. (b) to take measures for increasing the consumption of such products, so, however, that such contributions in respect of any year shall not in the aggregate exceed one-half of such expenses for that year or forty thousand pounds, whichever is the less;
  2. (2)to authorise the payment out of the Consolidated Fund of the United Kingdom or moneys provided by Parliament, to the board administering any scheme under the said Act which is therein referred to as a redundancy scheme, of such sums as may, by virtue of the said Act or any order of the Board of Trade thereunder, be payable by the Board of Trade for the purpose of securing that the revenue of the board administering the scheme is sufficient to enable them to meet their liabilities in respect of money borrowed by them and to defray their other expenses;
  3. (3)to authorise the payment into the Exchequer of the United Kingdom of any sums which, in accordance with the said Act or any order of the Board of Trade thereunder, are paid to the Board of Trade by the board administering such a scheme as aforesaid; and
  4. (4)to authorise the payment, out of moneys provided by Parliament, of the administrative expenses incurred by the Board of Trade for the purposes of the said Act."—(King's Recommendation signified.) [Mr. Stanley.]

10.58 p.m.

Mr. Hammersley

As I understand the matter, the Government are proposing now to take power to pay a sum of money in respect of the first part of the Order which does not exceed £40,000. In view of the fact that there are definite burdens put upon the trade, I should like to ask if I am right in understanding that, when the Bill has been passed, any registered person, in accordance with Clause 19, shall pay to the Cotton Industry Board the appropriate fee and also the appropriate contribution? Am I right in saying that this appropriate contribution in the first year may be £60,000, and in the fourth year may come to £110,000? I understand that this is not exempted business, and I do not want to delay the Measure, so I will defer my remarks.

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolution to be reported To-morrow.