PETITIONS (COTTON INDUSTRY) (Hansard, 11 December 1958)

§ Mr. S. Silverman
I desire to ask the leave of the House to present a Petition from some 24,000 residents in Nelson, in Colne, in Brierfield and in Barrow-ford, making up the bulk of the Nelson and Colne constituency.
Among other things, the Petition shows that these towns are dependent almost entirely on the cotton industry, that they have done real work in improving production since the Second World War, but they are now suffering severe unemployment and severe depression by reason of the sad falling off of the export trade and of the simultaneous importation into the home market of goods of the same kind at prices with which they cannot compete. The imported textile products, being produced in countries with a low standard of living, can be sold in this country at a price with which it is impossible for the Lancashire industry to compete.
After reciting various other relevant and important factors, the Petition continues: Your Petitioners therefore humbly pray that your Honourable House will take action without delay to limit the import of cheap textiles produced under unfair competitive conditions, and will devote itself to saving the cotton towns of Lancashire from becoming derelict by taking prompt action to stimulate and revive the cotton industry. And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.

§ Mr. Burke
With your permission, Mr. Speaker, I desire to present a Petition on behalf of 26,000 persons in the County Borough of Burnley, in Lancashire. This is one of a number of Petitions which I understand other hon. Members desire to present on behalf of other towns in Lancashire grievously affected by the serious decline in the cotton trade of this country.
The humble Petition of the inhabitants of the County Borough of Burnley, in the County of Lancaster, shows that Your Petitioners are resident in the County Borough of Burnley and are dependent in very large measure either directly or indirectly upon the textile industry for their livelihood. That for upwards of a century the textile industry has been the staple industry of the County Borough of Burnley and the surrounding area, and although it has enjoyed periods of prosperity it has also suffered periods of unemployment resulting in its being an unstable industry. That in times of need those engaged in the textile industry have responded admirably to the Government's call for greater production. That during the last several years there has been a reduction of textile exports for many reasons which are well-known to your Honourable House, including the competition caused by foreign customers entering into the textile manufacturing industry and the importation—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. I am sorry to interrupt the hon. Member, but under the rules an hon. Member presenting a Petition should give only the material allegations, namely, the gist of the Petition.

§ Mr. Burke
The Petition states that the decline in the textile industry has caused a great deal of unemployment in the area and that, as a consequence of the closing down of mills, there is at present a feeling of great despondency in the town. It continues: Wherefore your Petitioners pray that your Honourable House will take immediate action to limit the import of cheap textiles produced under unfair competitive conditions; will devote itself to saving the cotton towns of Lancashire from becoming derelict by taking immediate action to stimulate and revive the cotton industry, and will use all possible means to encourage the establishment of new industries in the County Borough of Burnley. And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.

§ Mr. H. Hynd
I ask leave to introduce a Petition which is from over 11,000 citizens of Accrington. The Petition recites the circumstances under which Accrington is suffering in a similar manner to that which has been described by my two hon. Friends from other parts of the County Palatine. After reciting the circumstances and the difficulties, the Petition continues: Wherefore, your Petitioners pray your Honourable House that immediate and effective action will be taken in order to create a situation in which the Lancashire textile industry, both employers and employees, can prosper in conditions of fair competition by restricting the importation of textile goods produced under unfair conditions, by expanding the foreign market for home-produced goods by making provision for cotton textile exports in trade agreements negotiated by the Government… It concludes:
And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.

§ Mr. Houghton
I beg leave to present a Petition on behalf of 5,000 citizens of the municipal Borough of Todmorden which, although in the West Riding of Yorkshire, is heavily dependent upon the cotton textile industry. The Petitioners from Todmorden address this honourable House in terms very similar to those of the Petitions of my hon. Friends and draw especial attention to the decline in the level of industry in the town, the fall in the population and the undermining of the stability of the locality on account of this decline. The Petitioners humbly pray that your Honourable House will take action without delay to limit the import of low-priced, duty-free textiles and will devote itself to saving the cotton towns from becoming derelict by taking prompt action to stimulate and revive the cotton industry. And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.