§ Sir J. Wardlaw-Milneasked the President of the Board of Trade what are the latest figures of imports of carpets from Belgium; and whether these figures continue to show a steady increase resulting in a considerable restriction of employment in the home carpet industry?
Mr. StanleyThe imports of woollen carpets, carpeting, rugs, etc., into the United Kingdom consigned from Belgium during the ten months ended October, 1937, amounted to 2,271,000 square yards as compared with 1,697,000 square yards in the corresponding period of 1936. The number of insured persons in the home carpeting industry recorded as wholly unemployed on the 18th October, 1937, was less than the number on the corresponding date in 1936, but the number of temporary stoppages was greater.