§ 58. Mr. Swinglerasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that a considerable quantity of dollar exchange 1219 is being expended on importing furs; and whether, in view of the scarcity of dollars, he will restrict the use of such dollars to buying commodities of which we have a greater need.
§ Mr. DaltonI would refer my hon. Friend to my reply of 5th March to my hon. Friend the Member for Newport (Mr. Peter Freeman).
§ Mr. SwinglerIs the Chancellor aware that he has justified this policy by reference to the possible export trade in fur clothing, but that, in fact, our exports of fur clothing in the past and now do not amount to more than one-hundredth of the value of fur imports, and how can he justify this policy, when we are so short of dollars to buy necessities like petrol and farm tractors?
§ Mr. DaltonThe hope is that the fur trade will, in a reasonable time, yield a substantial profit on foreign exchange. If it does not, I will stop it
§ Viscount HinchingbrookeIs the Chancellor aware that the greater the importation of furs, the less of a luxury they will be, and the more we shall resemble the fur coated Russian proletariat?