§ 37. Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the present unsatisfactory position of the clothes rationing scheme, where 22-inch coats have a coupon value of seven, whereas for the next size of 24-inch 12 coupons have to be surrendered; and whether he will take steps to obviate this present position by introducing a more graduated scale of coupon values for children's coats.
§ Sir S. CrippsI am aware of the present position. The existing arrangement by groups is on the whole the fairest practical scheme.
§ Mr. LewisIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that, under the present system, a mother has to give up the same number of coupons to clothe a child of five years as for a girl of 16 or 18, and does he think that is fair or equitable?
§ Sir S. CrippsI certainly think it is the fairest scheme that can be worked out.
§ Mr. LewisCan the right hon. Gentleman investigate the matter again with a view to setting up some graduated scale from the age of five to eighteen?
§ Sir S. CrippsThat matter has been very carefully investigated, and it would lead to worse anomalies than at present.