22. Lieut.-Commander Clark Hutchisonasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that for the first six months of this year the total allocation of cotton to furnishing fabric manufacturers in the United Kingdom for the production of material for export is 250 tons and that, during the same period, 3,300 tons of cotton is being transferred to manufacturers in Belgium to enable them to produce furnishing fabrics for export to the British Dominions and foreign countries; and if he will stop this transfer of raw material.
§ Mr. MarquandThe 250 tons, to which the hon. and gallant Member refers, represents the maximum amount of cotton yarn that could be spared out of our limited resources in the first quarter of this year for the manufacture of furnishing fabrics for export. I hope to make further provision for this purpose in the second quarter. No cotton yarn is being supplied to Belgium; nor is there any arrangement for the supply or transfer of raw cotton from the United Kingdom to Belgium. The second part of the Question, therefore, does not arise.
Lieut.-Commander HutchisonIf I supply the hon. Gentleman with further information on this matter will he look into it again, as the information I have is to the contrary?