§ 71. Lieut.-Colonel Bromley-Davenportasked the President of the Board of Trade whether any estimate can yet be made of the loss through damage to cotton bought in bulk by the Raw Cotton Commission and stored here for long periods with inadequate protection from the weather.
§ Mr. BottomleyI presume that the hon. and gallant Member is referring to the Cotton Control, as the Raw Cotton Commission has only been in operation for about two months. The loss to the Cotton Control, over the last two years of its trading, arising from damage to its cotton stocks while in store, amounted to about 0.4 per cent. of the value of the cotton, and was due in the main to storage conditions overseas. The loss from damage 213 caused to cotton while in store in this country cannot be separately estimated, but was insignificant. The loss by damage, both abroad and here, represents an extremely small part of the advantage from early purchase at favourable prices.