HC Deb 28 March 1950 vol 473 cc26-7W
76. Mr. Prescott

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that re-equipment of the Lancashire textile industry is being retarded owing to the Government's uncertain attitude relative to the Japanese textile industry; and what steps he will take to remedy this position.

Mr. Rhodes

The re-equipment of the cotton textile industry is not proceeding as rapidly as was hoped, but I cannot in any way accept the implication that the Government's attitude relative to the Japanese textile industry is responsible.

78. Mr. W. Fletcher

asked the President of the Board of Trade how much raw cotton shipped to this country in the years 1946, 1947, 1948 and 1949 respectively, remains unsold.

Mr. Rhodes

It is estimated that of the unsold cotton stocks held by the Raw Cotton Commission at the end of February, less than 2 per cent. had arrived in 1947 or earlier; and that less than one-quarter of the remainder had arrived in 1948.

79. Mr. W. Fletcher

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will now consider in the interests of efficiency and economy leaving in the hands of those firms or persons through whom raw cotton is now purchased the sampling, storage, settlement of claims and other functions now carried out by the Raw Cotton Commission.

Mr. Rhodes

The extent to which the Raw Cotton Commission use the services of agents to discharge their obligations under the Cotton (Centralised Buying) Act, 1947, is a matter for their discretion.

80. Mr. W. Fletcher

asked the President of the Board of Trade what proportion of the cotton brought from the United States in the years 1946, 1947, 1948 and 1949 was the subject of claim for quality; and how this compares with the ratio for claims for quality in the years 1937, 1938 and 1939.

Mr. Rhodes

I presume it is claims against shippers of raw cotton which the hon. Member has in mind. In the crop year 1948–49, the percentage of imports of United States cotton subject to quality claims was 21 per cent. and payments in respect of these claims amounted to about ½ per cent. of the value of those imports. In the two previous crop years, quality claims were made in respect of 23 per cent. and 26 per cent. of imports. No record is available of the private claims made in pre-war years.