§ 43. Sir Herbert Williamsasked the Minister of Supply whether, as under the Emergency Powers (Defence) Manufactured Articles (Silk) Order (Statutory Rule and Order, 1943, No. 661), it is an offence for any person to acquire or to consume any silk bolting cloth and, seeing that the expression "silk bolting cloth" means any cloth which contains any silk and which has been so woven as a gauze that the mesh made by the warp and weft thereof forms a gauged size of mesh, but does not include any silk bolting cloth 1567 which is shaped and hemmed to fit a screen or sieve, he will furnish some simpler explanation for the guidance of the public so that they may avoid committing a punishable offence?
§ The Minister of Supply (Sir Andrew Duncan)Silk bolting cloth is a fabric used in industry for sieving and other special technical purposes. The general public are most unlikely to hold any of this fabric and are therefore not likely to be affected by the Order, the terms of which are well understood by the trade.
§ Sir H. WilliamsHas the Minister met anyone else who understands what this Order means?
§ Sir A. DuncanWell, I understand it.
§ Mr. George GriffithsAnd so does the hon. Member for South Crdydon (Sir H. Williams).