§ 7. Mrs. McLaughlinasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of growing apprehension in the textile trade about the free importation of cotton 515 and other goods from areas where the wage levels are much lower than in the United Kingdom; and if he will take steps to regulate these imports.
§ Sir D. EcclesI assume that my hon. Friend is referring mainly to duty-free imports of cotton goods from Commonwealth countries. As the Government have frequently stated, it would be a major departure from our traditional Commonwealth trade policy to restrict these imports by imposing quotas.
§ Mrs. McLaughlinIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that this is a very large and growing problem? The 400 million square yards of material imported last year represents a commercial attack upon the industries of this country in the textile trade. Some means must be found of matching them with our own output, because many of these concerns, in Japan, India, Hong Kong, China and other places, are competing unfairly because of the vast difference in wage levels.
§ Sir D. EcclesImports from Japan and China are restricted by quota. It is only imports from the Commonwealth which come in duty-free and without restriction. My hon. Friend will realise that, with a Commonwealth Conference coming, this is not a very good moment to bring this subject to a decision.