HC Deb 16 July 1956 vol 556 cc67-8W
Mr. H. Wilson

asked the President of the Board of Trade to state the number of automatic looms in the Lancashire cotton industry; and the percentage they represent of the total number of looms in the industry.

Mr. P. Thorneycroft

It is estimated that there are about 42,000 fully automatic looms, about 14 per cent. of those installed, weaving cotton, rayon and mixture fabrics in the Lancashire area.

Mr. H. Wilson

asked the President of the Board of Trade to give figures, in continuation of those figures given by him on 13th July, 1953, showing deliveries to the cotton industry of home-produced machinery for spinning and allied processes and for weaving, respectively, to the latest available date.

Mr. P. Thorneycroft

The figures are as follows:

Year For spinning and preparatory processes and subsequent processes preparatory to weaving For weaving
£ million £ million
1952 6.3 2.7
1953 5.0 2.4
1954 5.4 2.8
1955 6.1 2.4