§ 81. Sir Wavell Wakefieldasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the scheme he recently announced for imposing maximum prices on women's non-utility outerwear will have a disastrous effect on wholesale model house trade in this country, thereby completely destroying the valuable export trade that was being developed; and will he reconsider the position in consultation with the trade interests concerned.
§ Sir S. CrippsI am considering, in consultation with the Central Price Regulation Committee, whether those businesses which claim to be wholesale model houses are sufficiently different in character and requirements from the industry in general to justify special treatment. But I have no power to fix prices for individual businesses of this kind until the Goods and Services (Price Control) Acts can be amended under the powers to be conferred by the Supplies and Services (Transitional Powers) Bill. As far as the export trade is concerned, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him to a similar Question last Monday.
§ Sir W. WakefieldIs the Minister aware that it is very difficult for this industry to develop an export trade unless it has a home trade on which to base that export trade; and will he reconsider the whole question with a view to helping this industry, the most important in my constituency?
§ Sir S. CrippsAs I have already told the hon. Member, I am now considering it with the Price Regulation Committee.