§ 6. Mr. Skeffington-Lodgeasked the Minister of Supply whether he is aware of the shortage of five-pronged digging forks; and whether he will arrange with manufacturers to redesign the more easily obtainable four-pronged forks so as both to conserve the use of steel and meet the needs of agriculturists.
§ Mr. G. R. StraussThe manufacture of five-pronged forks was prohibited during the war as an economy measure, but they are now being manufactured on a small scale. Labour and materials are both short, and I should not feel justified in asking manufacturers either to increase production of five-pronged forks or to redesign the four-pronged fork, as this would only result in a reduction of the number available at a time when we need all we can get. Arrangements have, however, been made with the trade to increase supplies of four-pronged forks.