§ Mr. Mappasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will indicate the scope of the major study now being undertaken by the Textile Council; whether independent opinion will be included; and under which function of Schedule 2 of the Cotton Industry Development Council Order, 1966 the study is being undertaken.
§ Mr. JayThe study will examine all the factors which affect the productivity and competitive efficiency of the industry. These include medium and long term assessments of the nature and size of demand for the industry's products; the methods of production and marketing which will meet this demand most effectively; and the structure and organisation of the industry and its likely requirements in terms of management, labour force and machinery. Domestic and foreign competition and the profitability of the industry will also be fully considered. Independents, including professional consultants, will participate in the study.
The scope of the study falls within the terms of several of the functions listed in Schedule 2 to the Cotton Industry Development Council Order, 1966 and, in particular, functions 1, 9, 15 and 16. It is appropriate that the Textile Council should carry out such work in view of the general responsibilities placed upon them by paragraph 1(2) of Schedule 2 to the Order.