HC Deb 22 February 1949 vol 461 cc266-7W
108. Mr. Anthony Greenwood

asked the Minister of Labour which towns in Lancashire have held cotton production weeks; what results were achieved; and how many other towns are planning such production drives.

Mr. Ness Edwards

Town campaigns to stimulate recruitment and production in the cotton industry have been held in Nelson, Darwen and Heywood, and one is now running at Stockport. Campaigns are being planned for Blackburn and Oldham. These campaigns have achieved noteworthy results, both in the stimulation of recruitment for the industry and in production, and I give below details of the results.

Nelson—12 weeks ending 25th June, 1948.

Weaving: Total production increase during Campaign—1,269,776 lineal yards. Average weekly increase of 4 per cent. Number of looms working increased by 607. There was an increase in the labour force of approximately 90 full-time weavers and 50 part-time.

Darwen—12 weeks ending 22nd October, 1948.

Looms running increased by 995 or 13.74 per cent. Labour force increased by 214.

Heywood—8 weeks ending 15th October, 1948.

Spinning Section—Total production increase during campaign—127,135 lbs. Weekly average increase of 4.4 per cent.

Weaving Section—Total production increase by 390,848 lineal yards—weekly average increase of 14.69 per cent. Labour force increased by 186.