HC Deb 28 June 1955 vol 543 cc188-9
40. Air Commodore Harvey

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the position of the textile industry, including the silk and rayon sections.

The Minister of State, Board of Trade (Mr. A. R. W. Low)

On the general question I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the comprehensive statement made by the Prime Minister in the House on 3rd May and to the Answers given by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade on 13th and 23rd June.

I will, with permission, circulate the latest available figures of rayon and silk production and deliveries, imports and exports in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Air Commodore Harvey

Is my hon. Friend aware that a number of people in Macclesfield are working on short time and that this is mainly due to the dumping of Italian and Japanese silk and rayon? Will he say what steps are being taken to put that right?

Mr. Low

I understood that some of these matters were being considered by the Silk and Rayon Users Association, which has not made any positive application to us. Imports from Japan, of

UNITED KINGDOM PRODUCTION, EXPORTS AND IMPORTS OF WOVEN RAYON AND MIXTURE CLOTH
Million sq. yds.
—— 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955
Production … … 707 759 601 769 781 January-April 243
Exports … … 197 218 152 177 175 January-May 61.9
Imports … … 55 99 29 44 67 25.1
UNITED KINGDOM DELIVERIES, EXPORTS AND IMPORTS OF SILK AND SILK MIXTURE CLOTH
Million sq. yds.
—— 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955
Deliveries … … 5.72 5.26 3.17 3.77 3.86 January-March 0.81
Exports … … .9 .77 .42 .56 .75 January-May 0.3
Imports … … 1.35 1.56 1.73 2.82 3.04 1.23