§ 24. Commander Sir Archibald Southbyasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the resentment felt by many voluntary war service organisations with regard to the regulations concerning the issue of knitting wool for the supply of comforts to the Services; whether he appreciates the widespread and natural desire of individuals to organise and work primarily for the areas in which they live; and, as the present regulations are discouraging local effort and thereby hindering the supply of comforts to men who badly need them, will he consider some amendment of those regulations?
§ The President of the Board of Trade (Sir Andrew Duncan)Local organisations which formerly knitted comforts for Service men coming from their locality will, I hope, now knit for the official Service comforts organisations. Any departure from these arrangements, other than the limited facilities for personal knitters, would result in such an uneven distribution of comforts that it would be unfair to the men in the Forces and wasteful of wool.
§ Sir A. SouthbyIs the right hon. Gentleman aware of the feeling throughout the country that the limitation placed upon the voluntary efforts of various knitting parties by the regulation is hindering the supply of comforts?
§ Sir A. DuncanThere is no limitation placed upon voluntary knitting circles, but only upon the destination to which articles may be sent.