§ Mr. Robert Howarthasked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs if the Government will introduce early legislation to give assistance to workers displaced by the rapid contraction of the cotton texile industry similar to that proposed for the coal industry.
Mr. Alan WilliamsNo. The Industrial Development Certificate controls are already operated flexibly to meet the needs of areas where employment is substantially dependent on the cotton textile152W industry and their longer term problems will be examined by the Hunt Committee which is getting on as rapidly as possible with its work. Pending the report of that Committee my right hon. Friend will continue to watch developments in these areas closely, but there is no indication at present that their economic problems are likely to become as serious as those arising in the areas particularly affected by the coalmining manpower rundown.