§ 8. Mr. Haleasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that for the first ten months of 1961 imports of cotton yarn and woven cotton cloth exceeded exports; and what steps he proposes to take to improve the position.
§ Mr. ErrollI am aware that for the last two or three years imports of cotton yarn and woven cloth have exceeded exports. When I visited Manchester on 8th December, I discussed with the industry the disappointing export trend in recent years and how this might be remedied. My Department is now following the matter up direct with the various sections of the industry.
§ Mr. HaleIt is all very well for the President of the Board of Trade to say that he is following the matter up, but what has he done, and what does he propose to do? Will he spend the Christmas Recess reading the various statements made from the Government Front Bench over the last ten years every time the Government have attacked the industry? Will he read the Government's statements when there was the revision of the Liverpool Cotton Market; when the Cotton Board was crippled, and when re-equipment came in? Does he realise that what was once our greatest export industry has been reduced to the condition in which it is a net loser—in which there is an overseas liability on textiles? Does he really intend to do something about it, and do 1541 the Government really care about the textile industry?
§ Mr. ErrollOf course the Government care about the textile industry, and if the hon. Gentleman would stay until later in the day he could, perhaps, join in a debate on the cotton industry in which I will be able to reply more fully to the points he has just raised.