§ 72. Mr. Harrisonasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will examine the serious effect of the recent rise in the price of Egyptian cotton on the attainment of the export targets for the textile industry; and, as a matter of urgency, if he will take the necessary steps to reduce the quotations for these fibres and peg them to those ruling three months ago.
§ Mr. BottomleyI would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on 13th April to the hon. Member for Louth (Mr. Osborne). The effects of changes in raw114W cotton prices and of other changes affecting the sales of our textiles in overseas markets are constantly under review. The answer to the second part of the Question is, "No, Sir. I see no ground for subsidising cotton production in the way proposed."