§ 31. Mr. Burkeasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the co-operation between the United States of America and Canada for the purpose of improving the production and consumption of cotton textiles; and whether he proposes to take any steps to bring the Lancashire cotton industry into the scheme?
§ Sir A. DuncanI have no knowledge of arrangements such as those to which the hon. Member refers, but if he will send me his information, the matter will be considered.
§ Mr. BurkeIf the Minister will keep his eye on the "Manchester Guardian," he will see that that co-operation has been going on for some considerable time past.
§ 32. Mr. Burkeasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that British authorities in Egypt are arranging to import several million yards of cotton textiles from India for the Services; and whether he will consider the possibility of supplying Lancashire cotton goods to the Services in Egypt?
§ Sir A. DuncanYes, Sir, but the demands on the United Kingdom industry already exceed the capacity to meet them in full.
§ Mr. BurkeWill the Minister bear in mind that when this war is over we shall have to fall back on our export trade, and that cotton has been the most important export trade for many years; and will he 995 remember that something must be done to retain those markets?
§ Sir A. DuncanYes, but precisely for those very reasons it is desirable equally that we should meet the requirements of those markets to which we have always exported rather than chase a temporary trade as is suggested by the hon. Member.