§ 116. Mr. Collinsasked the Minister of Supply what steps he proposes to take to increase the manufacture of automatic looms for the cotton textile industry; and whether he accepts the objections of the Evershed Committee to the use of Royal Ordnance factories for this purpose.
§ Mr. G. R. StraussI would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for East Harrow (Mr. Skinnard) on 1st December last, of which I am sending him a copy. The output of automatic looms is increasing rapidly and there is for some time ahead sufficient capacity to use the materials and components available. I am however considering with the manufacturers what steps it would be possible to take to provide additional capacity if materials supplies could be further increased. In this connection the use of Royal Ordnance factories will be considered, although I do not discount the difficulties to which the Evershed Report draws attention.