§ 9. Mr. Keenanasked the President of the Board of Trade why in Liverpool stores, hand towels are offered at 2s. 11d. each, and one coupon, when better quality hand towels offered at 14s. 11d. each require only one half-coupon to be surrendered.
§ Mr. H. WilsonA towel for which the rate is one coupon is larger than a towel at half a coupon. The coupon rate is based upon size and not upon price, which may vary widely with quality and in the case of a non-utility towel would include Purchase Tax.
§ Mr. KeenanIs the President of the Board of Trade aware of the basis of this complaint? While there may be a slight difference in the size of the towel, the fact remains that those who have a lot of money, by the surrender of half a coupon, can get more than double what those get who surrender one coupon?
§ Mr. WilsonThis is entirely a difference of size, and if there is to be a demarcation of size, then there are bound to be difficult points.
§ Mr. TolleyWill my right hon. Friend not agree that there is discrimination in this matter? This is what is causing frustration in the country. Will he look at the matter to try to remove it?
§ Mr. WilsonNo, I think my hon. Friend is confusing this with the question of curtains and certain other things, at which I have promised to look. The same considerations do not apply to towels.
§ Mr. ChetwyndCould my right hon. Friend say whether the one coupon towels are twice as large as the half-coupon towels?
§ Mr. WilsonSome are and some are not. The point is that towels over three but not over seven square feet in area need half a coupon, while towels over seven but not over 12 square feet need one. If my hon. Friend chooses the right stage within these figures he can find one which is twice as large.
§ Mr. ScollanWhy, in the case of towels, is half a coupon needed for a half-size towel whereas, in the case of sheets, mentioned in the next Question, eight coupons are needed for a larger sheet and 12 for a smaller one?
§ Mr. WilsonThat is another question.
§ Mr. AustinIs my right hon. Friend aware that a very real grievance exists in the minds of housewives at having to surrender their own personal coupons for household materials of this nature? Will he look into the question of giving some sort of relief to the housewife in enabling her to buy towels, curtains and other materials without having to surrender coupons?
§ Mr. WilsonI have often said that there is nothing I would rather do, but if I were to do that within the present range of supplies of textile goods, it would mean a cut in the personal clothing ration. As and when things begin to increase, I shall certainly hope to see what can be done in that respect.
§ 10. Mr. Keenanasked the President of the Board of Trade why, in Liverpool stores, pairs of bed sheets, size 80 x 100 in., offered at £1 12s. 3d. and £1 2s. 6d. require 12 coupons, and larger sheets, size 90 x 100 in., price £2 0s. 9d., only require eight coupons to be surrendered.
§ Mr. H. WilsonWhile the rate for a pair of sheets size 90 x 100 in. is normally 14 coupons, a special exception is made in the case of utility sheets of the Specification numbers 163 and 164 which, although 90 in. or more in width, are made of twill and seamed down the middle and are pointed at eight coupons per pair. The coupon rates have nothing to do with the maximum prices which vary with quality.
§ Mr. KeenanIs not the President aware of the factors operating in this case—that if purchasers are prepared to pay more, they need not surrender so many coupons? Will the President consider this factor and relate the articles to the number of coupons surrendered, if he cannot let us have them coupon-free?
§ Mr. WilsonI have already said that this is a question of size, with the special exception of this particular quality. The reason for that is that these sheets are made from a special kind of cloth woven on narrow looms, put into production to supplement the supply of sheets already there. They are, therefore, a substitute for normal sheets, they are not as good and, therefore, cannot be expected to compete in coupons with the others.
§ Mr. KeenanBut is it not a fact with sheets, like other things, that value is the thing, that there is a price upon them and those who are able to pay more, can purchase more? That is the point we are grumbling about.
§ Mr. WilsonThat is not the case. I admit that the problem arises in the case of curtains, but in this particular case there have been several reasons at work which have nothing to do with the price at all.