Orders of the Day — Textile Industry (Lancashire)

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 27 November 1974.

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Photo of Mr Frank White Mr Frank White , Bury and Radcliffe 12:00, 27 November 1974

A popular television western series is appearing currently, called "Alias Smith and Jones". Hon. Members now have the Lancashire equivalent of Smith and White. Just like our cowboy counterparts, the hon. Member for Rochdale (Mr. Smith) and I intend to get our man.

The hon. Member clearly and concisely placed before the House the overwhelming case for some measure of protection to be given to the textile industry to prevent the present incidence of cheap import dumping on the British market. I am grateful for the opportunity that the hon. Gentleman gave me to join him in his Adjournment debate.

I should like to make one or two points that he has covered already. As a Member of only four weeks' standing, I have the strong impression that when one raises the question of textiles a feeling develops—"Oh, them again". It seems to me that some hon. Members are rather fed up with textiles and, therefore, do not treat the industry with the respect or concern that it deserves.

The hon. Member has stated that manpower levels over the past 15 years have dropped from 240,000 to 85,000—a 66 per cent. reduction. Which other major British industry has faced such a labour contraction? Which other major British industry has faced the challenge not of cuts in home consumption or of great changes in new technology but of the pressure faced by any industrialised nation from the growing industries of the developing countries of the world? Furthermore, the industry in this country faces these problems without adequate protection, or with delayed, ineffectual action to help it.

The industry, and myself, accept that there is a need to help the emerging nations. But at what price? Is the price to be the complete collapse of the home-based Lancashire textile industry? I wish some people would clarify that. If that is so, the person responsible for taking that decision will have to explain it to the management, to the unions and to the operatives of the industry. I will not take that responsibility on my shoulders. I will not accept it or the thesis behind it.

There is a balance to be achieved—a balance of support for developing countries and a balance to protect our home-based industries. The spinning side of the textile industry informs me that even on full production it could not fully meet home demand and, hence, the remainder would, of necessity, have to be imported. But, as my hon. Friend stated, that should be a controlled situation, not the present free-for-all that merely makes a bingo lottery out of people's livelihoods.

On the question of textiles, I submit that some hon. Members are a little two-faced. I asked hon. Members to sign Motion No. 67 in respect of the textile industry. Some of them said that they had no textile industry in their constituency and believed in supporting the underdeveloped nations, and therefore, we in Lancashire should have to put up with the situation.

If what is happening in Lancashire were to happen in their constituencies, without doubt they would ask me to support protection for their industries. Their zeal for assisting developing countries would develop a strong correlation to the length of the dole queue. My hon. Friend and I, together with other hon. Members who wish to take part in the debate, base our support on the practical balance that has already been indicated.

I emphasise the need for action. As my hon. Friend said, the industry itself has been warning the Government for months about the impending situation in textiles. It has given warning about the impending import dumping that is now a reality. Sales and business contacts have fed information through the normal Government channels giving ample warning of the impending influx, particularly from the Mediterranean associate countries of the EEC. Action could, and should, have been taken at least six months ago.

The only reply to the warnings has been a request for facts and statistics, and justification upon justification. It is my belief that the only relevant fact concerning the effects of cheap import dumping is the number of textile operatives on short time or laid off completely from work, the number of mills working below capacity, or the number of mills that have been closed down.

I do not want to hear about "concern". I do not want platitudes from the seat of the pants of Ministers and officials. I want action—action as outlined by my hon. Friend, or some practical alternative that will give continuity of employment to the textile operative and a production floor to the industry. This is a basic requirement, and it is not beyond the wit of this Government to meet that basic requirement. Textiles need it just as much as agriculture, just as much as the aircraft industry.

Above all, the art of government is meeting people's needs. Our need in Lancashire at present in the textile industry is continuity of work and security of work. From that work family standards are built, and on that work community life depends. Lancashire has never let this country down. Is the country now prepared to let Lancashire down?