§ 34. Mr. WATERSONasked the President of the Board of Trade whether the standard cloth requisition by the Government for discharged soldiers' suits from the Co-operative Wholesale Society will be replaced and, if so, when, as the pre sent position is preventing the supply of men's ready-to-wear suits at 65s. and is, therefore, one of the causes responsible for the abnormal advance in the cost of clothing; and if it is the intention of the Department to complete the co-operative orders for grade I cloth, whereby orders for men's suits to measure at the standard price of £4 17s. 6d. can continue to be supplied?
§ The DEPUTY-MINISTER of MUNITIONS (Mr. Kellaway)I have been asked to answer this question. The cloth for ready-to-wear standard suits required to replace that requisition by the Government from the Co-operative Wholesale Sociesty is now available. Over one-half has been allotted, and patterns have been submitted to the various branches of the society for selection by the society to meet the balance. As to the second part of the 1545 question, this is a matter for settlement between the individual merchants and the individual manufacturers.
§ Mr. WATERSONIs the hon. Gentleman aware that the order given by the Co-operative Wholesale Society on 11th October was refused by the Wool Textile Production Committee at Bradford, that it was passed to the Worsted Sub-committee, and is this committee in a position to fulfil the order given to it; and is he aware that the substitute for the cloth which was released on the faith of a guarantee that it would be given back is of inferior quality?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member must give notice.