§ 22. Mr. G. M. Thomsonasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is satisfied with the working of Government jute control in the light of the present unemployment situation in the United Kingdom jute industry.
§ Mr. MaudlingI regret to learn that there has been some reduction in activity in the jute industry, but this is not due in any way to the working of the Jute Control.
§ Mr. ThomsonIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that some of the short-time working and redundancy is related to the reductions in jute control a year or so ago? Will he bear constantly in 1205 mind that the justification for continuing Government jute control is to safeguard jobs in the United Kingdom industry?
§ Mr. MaudlingI will look into that, but my information is that the difficulties do not arise from the mark-up on common bag-making cloths but on wide-loom cloths which, I understand, are not imported if Dundee can supply them. But I will certainly look into that.