§ 70. Mr. Thorntonasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give a list of the names of the firms included in the compensation scheme for redundant machinery under the Cotton Industry Act, 1959, who have not yet announced to their employees the mills which will be wholly or partially closed due to the scrapping of machinery.
§ Mr. MaudlingNo. This would not be possible, but the Cotton Board has urged all firms scrapping excess capacity to inform the operatives affected and the trade unions as early as practicable.
§ Mr. Thorntonasked the President of the Board of Trade his present estimate of the cost to the Exchequer of the scrapping of spinning, doubling and weaving machinery under the Cotton Industry Act, 1959; and how this estimate compares with his predecessor's estimates given to Parliament during the passage of the Bill.
§ Mr. MaudlingAbout £11 million. The total cost of the Government's proposals, including re-equipment as well as scrapping, was provisionally estimated at £30 million.