§ Mr. Prescottasked the President of the Board of Trade what is the estimated loss in production in the Lancashire cotton industry during the past month resulting from the closing or short running of mills through lack of coal.
§ Mr. BelcherOutput of yarn in the cotton industry over the holiday period did not show a more than usually heavy fall, and output in the fortnight 6th January to 18th January—the latest for which figures are available—was a little more than four per cent. below output in the fortnight ended 21st December. It is not possible to say what part of the decline 21W was due to coal shortage. The most serious stoppages on account of lack of coal have been among weavers but I regret that no production figures for cloth are yet available.