111 and 112. Mr. H. Wilsonasked the Minister of State, Board of Trade, as representing the Minister of Materials, (1) what consultations were held with the Governments of colonial territories concerned with the sale of raw cotton to this country and with cotton marketing boards in those countries before his decision to take powers to abolish the Raw Cotton Commission; and what representations were made to him by those authorities;
(2) What steps he is taking to ensure the continuance of long-term contracts for the supply of cotton from colonial and other territories when the Raw Cotton Commission is abolished; and if he is satisfied that the opening of the Liverpool Futures Market will not involve a fall in United Kingdom cotton purchases from those countries.
Mr. AmoryMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Colonies has throughout consulted the Governors of the cotton exporting Colonies. The marketing boards have been kept in close touch with the discussions.
The long-term contracts between the Raw Cotton Commission and Aden, Nigeria and Nyasaland, to which the colonial Administrations attach great importance, will be honoured and consultations on the methods of doing this will commence shortly. The Colonies in which the cotton producers have no agreements with the Raw Cotton Commission are content to continue to market their cotton freely.
It is obviously not possible to say with certainty whether there will be any fall in United Kingdom purchases of colonial cotton, but my noble Friend is satisfied that the colonial producers should have no difficulty in finding markets for their cotton if they can produce it competitively.