§ 56. Mr. Anthony Greenwoodasked the President of the Board of Trade what progress has been made in re-equipping the spinning side of the cotton textile industry; and if he is satisfied with the rate of progress.
§ Mr. J. EdwardsTwenty-four groups of cotton spinning mills have now been registered for the purposes of the Cotton Spinning (Re-equipment Subsidy) Act, 1948, covering 314 mills and 19½ million spinning spindles. Modernisation plans have not yet been received from 16 of the groups, which cannot be regarded as entirely satisfactory. I hope these groups will take steps to secure the benefit of the subsidy. On the other hand, deliveries of spinning machinery to the cotton industry have increased in recent months and orders on the books of the spinning machinery makers at 31st March, 1949, from the cotton industry, were over 40 per cent. higher than 12 months previously.
§ 57. Mr. Anthony Greenwoodasked the President of the Board of Trade in how many cases the payment of subsidies for re-equipping cotton spinning mills has been made conditional upon the provision of improved welfare facilities.
§ Mr. J. EdwardsNo payment of subsidy under the Cotton Spinning (Re-equipment Subsidy) Act, 1948, has yet been made but the earlier stage of approval of modernisation plans is made conditional upon a satisfactory report from the Factory Inspectorate on the arrangements for safety, health and welfare. Thirty-six plans have so far been approved and in 31 cases provision has been included for improved welfare arrangements. In the remaining five cases, the existing arrangements have been considered adequate.