HC Deb 06 June 1944 vol 400 cc1197-8
43. Mr. Francis Watt

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that his Department, when allocating supplies of leather among boot repairers in Scotland, do not divide the quotas of businesses which close down among other repairers in the same district; that this practice is causing a shortage of leather in certain areas; and what steps does he intend to take to rectify the matter.

Mr. Dalton

The quotas of repair businesses which have been closed down are normally redistributed among other repairers in the same area. But in certain cases they are transferred, in the interests of fair distribution over the country as a whole, to other areas which are in greater need of extra supplies.

Mr. Watt

Is my right hon. Friend aware that there is considerable dissatisfaction with the distribution of leather, particularly in Fife; and if I give him specific instances, will he promise to look into the matter?

Mr. Dalton

Yes, Sir, I shall be very glad to go into it.