[1] A voluntary Cotton Board was set up in 1940 to “promote the welfare of the industry by internal reorganisation, by the development of export trade, scientific research, propaganda and other means.” Sir Stafford Cripps praised the work of the voluntary Cotton Board in a speech at the Midland Hotel, Manchester on 4 December 1946.
Nicholas Ridley, recounting the Board's history during the 1971 debate preceding its dissolution, said that in 1959, the Board engaged in co-ordination of a major reorganisation of the industry, entailing the scrapping of machinery and compensation for redundant workers in the industry, [which] was carried through with great success and great expedition.
[8]However, a combination of reduced consumer demand, poor marketing and cheaper Commonwealth imports during the period of reorganisation created, a “complete lack of confidence in the industry” according to the Board’s chairman Lord Rochdale.
[9] This both reduced the amount asked for by industry and invested by the government and resulted in machinery being installed in mills that either closed or became idle.
[8] Anthony Crosland, speaking for the government in the 1969 debate, claimed that: There is no reason to think that, with the possible exception of India, the developing countries of the Commonwealth generally will be able to export less to Britain over a tariff of this amount than they would under a continuation of the quota system.
The recommendation to finance 40% investment grants was rejected as the government felt it would “not be justified in singling out this industry for financial assistance on such a scale”.
Ridley said, during the dissolution debate that: All who have read the report which it produced will agree that it was a most comprehensive, penetrating and full document, which earned the commendation of all concerned with the cotton textile industry.
[4] it was responsible for initiatives which included work on new methods for utilising labour, design innovations, recruitment and training, and the encouragement of collaboration within the cotton industry.