§ 7. Mr. Malcolm MacMillanasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will now permit the constituent of the hon. Member for the Western Isles, whose name has been supplied to him, to have wool spun by mainland spinners with the plant suitable for yarns for women's light weight tweeds, and then woven in the Western Isles, where large numbers of weavers have been unemployed since the increased Purchase Tax was imposed on Harris tweed last April; and whether full facilities for exporting to hard currency areas are to be granted.
§ Mr. H. WilsonYes, Sir. If the weaver in question will apply to the Wool Control he will be given permission to buy a supply of woollen yarn from any mainland spinner for the period beginning 1st March. There is no restriction on the export of wool cloth either to hard currency areas or elsewhere.
§ Mr. MacMillanIs my right hon. Friend aware, as perhaps he slightly misunderstood the Question, that this is a case of a man who has actually bought wool, but is not permitted to use available spinning capacity on the mainland and to have that yarn woven in the Western Isles? Although he is allowed to have it spun in the Western Isles, where there is no suitable plant, he must not have it woven there. It hardly helps to solve the unemployment in this industry.
§ Mr. WilsonI am sorry that the supplementary question does not reduce my confusion on this matter, particularly as my hon. Friend is speaking about spinning capacity, weaving and materials, but I should be very glad to go into the question with my hon. Friend.
§ 8. Mr. M. MacMillanasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that large numbers of Harris Tweed small producers in the Western Isles have become unemployed since last April, do not receive unemployment insurance benefit, since they are classed as self-employed, have no adequate alternative source of livelihood and are being forced to emigrate; and what plans he has for providing insurable employment in that area in the immediate future.
§ Mr. H. WilsonI am aware that sales of Harris Tweed fell considerably during 507 the second half of 1948, chiefly in the case of small producers who have no established trade connections, but the production figures of tweed for 1948 exceeded those of 1947. I have no knowledge of emigration as the result of the fall in sales. I cannot hold out much hope of providing more factory employment in the immediate future. But the steps taken by the Government to provide better facilities such as harbours, piers and roads, to improve the prospects of the herring industry and generally to raise the level of employment throughout the Highlands and Islands should influence employment in this part of Scotland for some time to come.
MacMillanWhile I am very appreciative of the steps the Government are taking in connection with the fishing industry and other schemes, may I ask my right hon. Friend if he is aware that county councils in the Highlands and the Government's Advisory Panel and all in the industry are very concerned with the plight of the small producer, for whom there is no export industry?
§ Mr. WilsonMy hon. Friend will realise the difficulties in the export market, both as regards import restrictions imposed by foreign Governments and also the change in world fashion away from tweeds. I would remind him that in the main categories of production output is between 60 per cent. and 70 per cent. above pre-war.
§ Mr. MacMillanWill my right hon. Friend try to take a very serious view of the peculiar difficulties of this area in which the men who had a considerable home market trade find it difficult—as he so rightly says—to get into the export market and, because of Purchase Tax at 66⁔; per cent., are now unable to continue in the home market?
§ Mr. WilsonThat is a question on which I would refer my hon. Friend to my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.