§ Mr. Chorltonasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has yet received any scheme from the Lancashire cotton associations concerned with reference to an Enabling Bill to give certain statutory powers; and whether he can say if it will be taken this Session?
Mr. StanleyIn pursuance of my suggestion that the Joint Committee of Cotton Trade Organisations should consider the problems of the cotton industry as a whole, the committee have recently placed some proposals before me. These are now
1020WSoviet Socialist Republics for the respective years from 1933 to 1937, inclusive?
Mr. StanleyThe following table shows the total declared value of merchandise imported into and exported from the United Kingdom in trade with the Soviet Union during the undermentioned years.
under consideration and I am obtaining the views of the other textile interests concerned. I appreciate the importance that is attached to an early decision on these proposals; a decision will not be unduly delayed.
§ Mr. Chorltonasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has considered the communication from the Manchester Chamber of Commerce with relation to the almost complete cessation of orders for cotton goods from West Africa, due to difficulties arising out of the fall in prices and non-purchasing of the cocoa trade; and what does he propose to do about it?
1021W
Mr. StanleyI have not received a communication from the Manchester Chamber of Commerce on this subject, but my hon. Friend may be referring to a letter which has been sent to me by the Cotton Spinners' and Manufacturers' Association. I regret that the dispute between the producers and the buyers of cocoa in West Africa is having a detrimental effect on the sale of United Kingdom cotton goods, but the only remedy appears to be to try to settle the cocoa dispute. As my hon. Friend will be aware, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Colonies has recently sent to West Africa a commission to examine the situation with this object in view.