Mr. Marqnand60, 61 and 62.asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) in which Colonial Territories there exist arrangements to protect growers of cotton from severe fluctuations in the price of this product;
(2) what plans the Governments of Colonial Territories in which cotton is grown are preparing for the orderly marketing of cotton after long-term con tracts made with the Raw Cotton Commission come to an end;
(3) whether he has asked the Governors of cotton-growing Colonial Territories to report to him the effect upon the economic of their territories which they expect will follow from the dissolution of the Raw Cotton Commission.
§ Mr. LytteltonMarketing boards with funds for price stabilisation exist in all cotton-producing Colonial Territories except the West Indies. The Colonial Governments concerned were consulted before the decision to wind up the Raw Cotton Commission was taken, and I do not expect any serious effect on their economies to result from that decision. I have asked the governments and marketing boards in territories which have long-term contracts with the Raw Cotton Commission to consider what alternative marketing arrangements should be made when these contracts expire in two to four years' time. The marketing boards concerned will no doubt wish to gain experience in the 209W intervening period before taking final decisions as to their future marketing policy.