§ 10. Mr. Keelingasked the President of the Board of Trade why the reduction made by Emergency Powers (Defence) Consumer Rationing—General Licence (S.R. & O., No. 317, of 1944) in the coupon value of certain non-utility shoes applies to unregistered traders and not to registered traders.
§ The President of the Board of Trade (Mr. Dalton)The coupon rate for low priced non-utility shoes was reduced from 27th November last until 31st March to help traders to clear stocks. The distributors, who are unregistered, need a longer period to dispose of their stocks than the manufacturers, who are registered. The former have, therefore, been allowed to sell these shoes at the reduced rate for a further three months.
§ Mr. KeelingMay I ask the Minister whether, in exercising his power of delegated legislation, he would explain such matters in the Order?
§ Mr. DaltonI always endeavour to combine clarity with brevity, and an 1175 explanation is attached wherever there is any difficulty, but no difficulties have arisen in the trade about this.
§ Mr. KeelingIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that some boots, classed as ulti-utility, are themselves non-utility?
§ Mr. DaltonI am endeavouring, by exercising persuasion, through Orders and other means, to discourage the production of cheap footwear. The difficulty is, however, that we have to deal with a good deal of second-rate material, which has to be worked in somewhere, but we are endeavouring to get rid of the lower qualities.