HC Deb 03 July 1952 vol 503 cc592-4
2 and 3. Mr. Dodds

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) what progress has been made in issuing standards for clothing, textiles, colour fastness and shrink resistance;

(2) what progress has been made by the British Standards Institution in the informative labelling of textile products.

The President of the Board of Trade (Mr. Peter Thorneycroft)

For details of the progress made in establishing textile and clothing standards, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for Hammersmith, South (Mr. W. T. Williams) on 26th June. Arrangements for labelling articles to indicate whether they comply with these standards are being made by industries concerned, in association with the British Standards Institution.

Mr. Dodds

While the wholesale and retail associations give full support to informative labelling, is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there are several West Riding manufacturers who seem determined not to give the fibre content of their productions and want to continue using the word "wool" even for as low a wool content as 15 per cent.? Will the Minister look into this matter, in the public interest?

Mr. Thorneycroft

There might not be complete unanimity on this complex problem, but I am satisfied that progress is now being made in this matter.

Mr. Dodds

Will the Minister keep an eye on this aspect of the matter, in the public interest?

Mr. J. Rodgers

Will my right hon. Friend impress on the public the fact that, in the textile industry, we have the best finishers in the world, and that adequate standards can be maintained provided the public demand them and that the retailers are willing to pay the extra penny or two?

Mrs. Mann

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there is today a great amount of shoddy material in the shops, that the so-called reductions are not beneficial reductions at all but represent only reductions in the standards, and that women very much resent this cheap stuff? Will the Minister see that this situation is remedied?

Mr. Thorneycroft

It is rather a pity to suggest that the shops are full of shoddy articles, when Lancashire is going through very considerable difficulties. I believe that in the shops today there is very good value for money.

Mrs. Mann

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that one of the reasons for sales resistance is in respect of the goods that are really shoddy, and the under 4s. per yard standard, which escapes the D tax?

Mr. Thorneycroft

I do not accept that at all. I am quite satisfied that the textile areas of this country are producing goods of very good quality.

4. Mr. Dodds

asked the President of the Board of Trade what action he proposes to take following the report, a copy of which has been sent to him, by the trade mission of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce that recently toured South Africa, concerning consistent criticisms they met of the serious deterioration in British textiles in the last few years, with specific complaint about poor yarns, bad weaving, indifferent printing, uneven dying and bleaching.

Mr. P. Thorneycroft

Action in this field is primarily for the textile industries: I am confident that all concerned in our textile industries will give the most earnest consideration to the report of the mission and do their utmost to safeguard the traditional reputation of their products in South Africa, and indeed all other markets. And I am confident that today Lancashire can produce, and is exporting, textiles of the highest quality.

Mr. Dodds

But does not the right hon. Gentleman appreciate the seriousness of these statements? The Government should look into them and, if they are not accurate, say so. Is he not aware that the leading journal of the trade, "The Draper," said, on 2nd February, that there were backsliders in the industry and that it was necessary for the Government to do something about it?

Mr. Thorneycroft

I dare say that there are backsliders in any industry, but there is no doubt that at the time of the sellers' market goods of an inferior quality were supplied by all textile manufacturers all over the world. That was bound to happen. At present, I am quite satisfied that we are producing goods of really good quality.

Mr. J. Hudson

Does not the President of the Board of Trade realise that when the Manchester Chamber of Commerce, through an important trade mission, makes charges about the condition of our goods, those charges will be read not merely in South Africa but in every part of the world; and, further, does he not consider it to be his duty to seek to improve the goods or modify the charges made in this Question?

Mr. Thorneycroft

What the Manchester Chamber of Commerce say in a report which they made after a valuable mission to South Africa is a matter for them, and should be discussed between them and the industries of Lancashire.

Mr. Shepherd

Is my right hon. Friend aware that these charges are not intended to apply to the generality of exports from this country, but were probably true of a limited number of those exports?

Mr. Thorneycroft

Yes, I think that that is true.

Mr. Dodds

Owing to the unsatisfactory nature of the answer, I beg to give notice that I shall raise this matter on the Adjournment.