Former MP for Preston South
I beg to move, That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, praying that the Purchase Tax (No. 3) Order, 1955 (S.I. 1955, No. 581), dated 18th April, 1955, a copy of which was laid before this House on 19th April, be annulled.
For the benefit of excitable hon. Gentlemen opposite, I may as well begin my remarks by saying that, in moving this Motion, the Opposition are not intending to show their opposition to the reduction in Purchase Tax, and that, in fact, hon. Gentlemen opposite can safely go back to their constituencies now and try to regain some of the losses shown in the latest Gallup Poll. The only means...
That is what I am doing. We know one step that the Chancellor could have taken, and that was to wipe out Purchase Tax entirely on piece goods in this particular scheme and, furthermore, reduce the Purchase Tax on made-up garments. He has completely failed to do that, and I should like to draw attention to the fact that the trade in Lancashire is anything but satisfied with what he has done....
The cotton unions have had a meeting today and I understand that some of the strongest resolutions have come from them, nearly as strong as those which have been emanating from the employers' side of the industry. We are faced with an extremely serious situation in Lancashire. It is open to the Chancellor to take certain action. If he wishes, he can—I doubt whether he will—announce...
Would the Chancellor say how much of that £42 million is borne on the non-woollen textiles?
We appreciate the incorporation by the Minister of this Amendment, but I want to make one point clear. Upon another occasion, and in subsequent conversation and correspondence, the Minister indicated that there would always be economic pressure to dispose of these oils and sludges satisfactorily. I can assure him that there are cases where oil is being buried under the ground at this moment....
One of the reasons which the Minister gave for this Amendment was it would be quite unfair to attack a man on whose land the oil pollution takes place. But oil pollution may take place in other ways. It is even conceivable that it could come from an aeroplane. It is a little late in the day to do anything about it, but since the right hon. Gentleman is so passionate in his desire to be...
The hon. and gallant Member for Rochdale (Lieut.-Colonel Schofield) is, of course, greatly respected on this side of the Committee, and I think our only major difference of opinion with him at the moment over the future of the textile industry is that he still believes that this Government can do something for Lancashire, whereas we on this side of the Committee know that they have no...
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