I desire to ask the leave of the House to present a Petition from some 24,000 residents in Nelson, in Colne, in Brierfield and in Barrow-ford, making up the bulk of the Nelson and Colne constituency.

Among other things, the Petition shows that these towns are dependent almost entirely on the cotton industry, that they have done real work in improving production since the Second World War, but they are now suffering severe unemployment and severe depression by reason of the sad falling off of the export trade and of the simultaneous importation into the home market of goods of the same kind at prices with which they cannot compete. The imported textile products, being produced in countries with a low standard of living, can be sold in this country at a price with which it is impossible for the Lancashire industry to compete.

After reciting various other relevant and important factors, the Petition continues: Your Petitioners therefore humbly pray that your Honourable House will take action without delay to limit the import of cheap textiles produced under unfair competitive conditions, and will devote itself to saving the cotton towns of Lancashire from becoming derelict by taking prompt action to stimulate and revive the cotton industry.And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.