asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development what was the fixed capital expenditure in the wool textile industry in 1963; and what were the figures for 1962 and 1961.

Fixed capital expenditure in the woollen and worsted textile industry was £12·4 million in 1961; £11·9 million in 1962 and in 1963 is estimated at approximately £16 million.

Does the Minister think that those figures for investment in the industry will help the industry to achieve its 4 per cent. growth rate target by 1966? How far does he think the problem of financing investment is due to the structure of the industry and what is the Department doing to help?

Firstly, I hope so; secondly, I certainly think that modernisation in all its forms is essential in this as in any other industry.