§ 38. Mr. Leaveyasked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development if he will make a statement on his discussions with the Cotton Board on the subject of protection for the cotton industry.
§ Mr. HeathThe purpose of my meeting with the Cotton Board yesterday was to discuss their memorandum, which is being published today entitled "The Case for a Viable U.K. Cotton Industry".
In the course of the discussion we reviewed trends and developments in the industry, in the international trade in cotton goods and in world trading policies generally. In the light of this review I told the Board that I accepted the need for some further period of stability in the home market after 1965 to enable the industry to continue the progress it is already making in the modernisation of its equipment and structure. Further 117W studies would however be necessary in order to determine how this requirement for stability could best be reconciled with our general commercial policy and with the need to promote the trade of the Commonwealth and of developing countries.
I welcomed the Cotton Board's memorandum as containing some constructive contributions to the solution of these difficult issues, and the industry assured me of their full co-operation in the further studies on which the Board of Trade are now engaged.