§ Mr. Cyril Smithasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will estimate the effect of the reduction in the domestic textile industry on the balance of payments.
§ Mr. MeacherThe production of the domestic textile industry, including clothing but excluding the manufacture of man-made fibres, rose by 4.4 per cent. in 1973 while employment fell by 2.5 per cent. The crude balance of trade gave a deficit of £79–4 million compared with a surplus of £1.2 million in 1972. Capacity constraints on the industry, including labour shortages, were a major factor in contributing to the adverse balance. There are good prospects of the deficit being substantially reduced, with the possibility of a return to surplus, in 1974.