§ Mr. Haleasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the number of unfilled vacancies in cotton, linen and man-made fibre, spinning and weaving, fell from 3,070 on 5th October, 1966, to 1,833 on 7th December, 1966; whether he will make a statement on the causes of this decline; what information he has received as to whether this is continuing; and what steps he proposes to take.
§ Mr. J. P. W. MallalieuYes. I believe that the decline between these months was due primarily to the effects of the measures taken last July which have affected many industries including textiles. In addition there has been pressure from imports in some sectors. On the measures which the Government have taken to assist the industry, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to him today to another Question.
§ Mr. Haleasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the increasing anxiety in the cotton and man-made fibre textile industry; and whether he will now make a statement on the measures he will take to reduce this anxiety.
§ Mr. J. P. W. MallalieuAs my right hon. Friend said in reply to my hon. Friend, the Member for Accrington (Mr. Arthur Davidson) on 8th February, this Government has already introduced major measures of assistance to the textile industry, notably in the control of cotton textile imports from most countries in the world for a period up to 1970. We had the industry's problems constantly in mind in other international discussions; and we are working with the new Textile Council on a major survey of productivity in all its aspects. My right hon. Friend expected the industry, for its part, to take the fullest advantage of the breathing space we have provided to increase its own competitiveness.—[Vol. 740, c. 1651.]