HC Deb 23 May 1975 vol 892 cc703-5W
Mr. David Young

asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) what was the level of import penetration as a percentage of domestic sales in each quarter of 1973, 1974 and the first quarter of 1975 by volume and value in the non-knitted sector of the textile industry;

(2) what was the level of home production in each quarter of 1973, 1974 and the first quarter of 1975 by volume and value in the non-knitted sector of the textile industry.

Million square metres
(i) Woven cloth
1973 1974 1975
Q 1 Q.2 Q.3 Q.4 Q.1 Q.2 Q.3 Q.4 Q.1
Production of cotton cloth 144 137 108 126 105 123 99 126 121
Production of man-made fibre and mixture cloth 175 172 150 176 144 187 163 183 174
Deliveries of woollen and worsted cloth 49 49 43 50 43 47 42 42 38
Total 368 358 301 352 292 357 304 351 333
source: Textile Statistics Bureau; Wool Industry Bureau of Statistics.

and location of the works of the companies in the shipbuilding and related industries due to be nationalised together with similar information in respect of British Channel Shiprepairers.

Mr. Meacher

Following is the information:

Mr. Meacher

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 19th May 1975; Vol. 892, c. 249], gave the following information:

The non-knitted sector of the textile industry has been defined to cover the weaving of fabrics by the cotton and allied textile industry and the woollen and worsted industry but figures for made-up clothing—that is, garments produced in the clothing industry—are also provided.

Corresponding figures of the value of production/deliveries given above are not available.

The value and quantity of sales of cotton and man made fibre cloth are

£million
1973 1974 1975
Q.1 Q.2 Q.3 Q.4 Q.1 Q.2 Q.3 Q.4 Q.1
250 248 254 286 263 286 306 339 n.a.

Corresponding figures of the quantity of sales are not available because of the different types of garments involved but

(iii) Estimated import penetration in terms of quantity for woven fabrics was:
Per cent.
1973 1974 1975
Q.1 Q.2 Q.3 Q.4 Q.1 Q.2 Q.3 Q.4 Q.1
Cotton cloth 59 51 61 57 68 51 53 44 50
Man-made fibre and mixture cloth 40 39 41 40 49 38 43 39 40
Woollen and worsted cloth 9 11 8 7 9 9 9 9 8
Total woven cloth 47 42 49 45 56 42 44 38 43
Corresponding figures of import penetration in terms of value are not available.
(iv) Estimated import penetration in terms of value for made-up clothing was:
Per cent.
1973 1974 1975
Q.1 Q.2 Q.3 Q.4 Q.1 Q.2 Q.3 Q.4 Q.1
15 16 18 18 21 19 18 15 n.a.

It is not possible to estimate the proportion in terms of quantity because of the different types of garments involved.

Mr. David Young

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is estimated to be the under-usage of capacity in the non-knitted sector of the textile industry.

Mr. Meacher

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 19th May 1975; Vol. 892, c. 249], gave the following information:

There are no official statistics of the under utilisation of capacity in the non-knitted sector of the textile industry and the made up clothing industry. In February industry estimates of under utilisation of capacity were:

  • Cotton and man made fibre weaving—at least 15 per cent.
  • Woollen and worsted spinning and weaving—25 per cent.
  • Made up clothing—10.20 per cent.

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