HC Deb 18 December 1946 vol 431 cc1964-7
The President of the Board of Trade (Sir Stafford Cripps)

The instalment of the basic ration for clothing for the period which starts on 1st March next and ends on 31st August will be 32 coupons. This compares with the 30 coupons issued for the present period, but it will be recalled that these were made valid on 1st August last; they will, therefore, have covered seven months and, taken with the coupons already available for August from the preceding period, they correspond to an annual rate of rather less than 60 compared with the new rate of 64. Owing to the continued shortage of labour, and the shorter working week in the cotton and wool industries, supplies are not likely to increase and may indeed decrease. But the various supplements such as those for children and manual workers, which are equivalent to eight extra coupons a year on the basic ration, are mainly spent in the first half of the rationing year, and the basic ration can, therefore, be proportionately higher in the second half.

Part of the increase is accounted for by the fact that, in order to secure fairer distribution, sheets and cotton blankets are to be rationed from 1st March. An ordinary single sheet will cost four coupons, and a double sheet of the normal type, six. I must emphasise that the supply of sheets will not, of course, allow one for every person; even before the war the supply of sheets was far short of one per annum for every member of the public. Apart from supplies for the present priority classes, the amount of sheets available should be equivalent to about one coupon per person overall. The issue of priority dockets for sheets will cease at the end of February, but the present priority classes will become entitled instead to coupon equivalent certificates which will be issued on the same conditions and on the same scale, but will carry no priority of supply.

The changeover from dockets to certificates is technically difficult to accomplish. It has been decided that all dockets issued before 5th December must be presented to retailers on or before 31st January. If holders of these dockets for any reason fail to obtain sheets against them, they can return their dockets to the Board of Trade and, provided they can still establish their need for sheets, coupon equivalent certificates will be issued to them. All dockets issued on and after 5th December bear a distinctive mark in red and, in so far as they are not exchanged for sheets before 1st March, they will on that day become coupon equivalent certificates.

The House will be glad to know that, taking new and Government surplus blankets together, supplies are sufficient to justify bringing the present system of dockets for blankets to an end forthwith. As from tomorrow, therefore, blanket dockets will cease to have validity and supplies will be entirely free. I would ask all concerned, both manufacturers and distributors, to do their best, in this free market, to see that supplies are fairly distributed and that no class of buyer gets a disproportionate share of the new blankets.

Mr. Stanley

That is a rather complicated statement, and we shall require time to study it, but is the general effect that if a man wants a new single handkerchief he will be better off, but if he wants a new double sheet he will be worse off?

Sir S. Cripps

Not if he gets a contribution from the other members of the family.

Mr. Osborne

In view of the bottleneck in yarns, both cotton and wool, does the Minister think there will be sufficient supplies to meet these coupons in the home trade?

Sir S. Cripps

Yes, that is the basis on which we fixed the coupons—in view of the supplies which will be available.

Mr. Orr-Ewing

Is the Minister, under the new arrangement, making any allowance for the unfortunate position of oversized men and their clothing? How can one demonstrate at the Board of Trade the lack of a sheet? Is it not better done somewhere else?

Sir S. Cripps

It has been the habit for a long time with regard to dockets for newly married couples and bombed out persons to send in their requirements and state the stocks they hold, and in accordance with those, dockets are given entitling them to a certain number of sheets. In future, instead of getting a docket which gives them priority, they will get a coupon equivalent, which will enable them to purchase that number of sheets, but they will be in the market with every one else.

Mr. Orr-Ewing

What about the oversized men?

Major Cecil Poole

With regard to blankets coming on the free market, may we have an assurance that there will be a continuance of price controls to ensure that blankets do not go up to absurd prices?

Sir S. Cripps

There is no question of removing price control.

Mr. Jennings

Will the right hon. and learned Gentleman say, in view of the statement he has made, how it is that I have before me an advertisement in the public Press offering coupon-free clothing which is stated to be Government surplus stock?

Sir S. Cripps

Certain special articles of surplus stock which were not very useful to the market have been disposed of coupon free.

Mr. Erroll

Can the Minister say if Service coupons are valid for sheets?

Sir S. Cripps

Any coupons will be valid for sheets.

Major Legge-Bourke

Is the Minister aware that one of the first things that a demobilised man hopes to have is a sheet on his bed, and does he realise that this new position means that he may have to wait a long time for it?

Sir S. Cripps

If he would be entitled to it for the ordinary reasons which would make him entitled to a docket, he will not have to wait any longer On the other hand, people who otherwise would never have bought a sheet at all, will now be able to get it if they will give up the coupons.