Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 1 May 1947.
I take it that the announcement the right hon. and learned Gentleman has just made applies equally to the textile industry in Lancashire? That being so, may I ask the right hon. and learned Gentleman this question? He said that the allocation to industry was to be an amount equal to the consumption of last summer. What estimate has been made for the Lancashire textile industry? Is it a fact that the consumption last summer was considerably less than the 75 per cent. of the present allocation? Is the right hon. and learned Gentleman aware that the textile industry in Lancashire is finding it impossible to build up any stocks for the winter? Unless some special provision can be made it will be impossible to build three weeks' stocks out of the allocation he has indicated.