1. Mr. Leslie Haleasked the President of the Board of Trade what is the value of orders placed for the installation of textile machinery qualifying for subsidy up to the most recent available date.
§ The President of the Board of Trade (Mr. Harold Wilson)I regret that the information is not available since firms are not required, under the Cotton Spinning (Re-equipment Subsidy) Scheme, to submit details of orders as they are placed but only when payment of subsidy is claimed.
Mr. HaleSurely, my right hon. Friend must have an idea of the extent to which this scheme has been utilised in the industry. Would he say whether he regards the utilisation as satisfactory or unsatisfactory?
§ Mr. WilsonI am certainly not satisfied. Up to 12th April this year, modernisation plans submitted by registered groups, involving a total expenditure of about £11 million had been approved. This, of course, includes new machinery
Mr. HaleCan my right hon. Friend say when textile machinery supplied to the home market ceases to be a matter of trade and becomes a matter of supply, because I observe that another of my Questions on this subject has become Question 146 and, knowing the Question as I do, it rather resents its inauspicious position on the Order Paper?
§ Mr. WilsonAnything to do with the operation of this scheme is a matter for the Board of Trade. The Ministry of Supply is the authority for the production of the equipment in question.