§ 2. Mr. Geoffrey Hirstasked the President of the Board of Trade whether permission may now be given to official bodies, such as county, borough and district councils, to have their crest embossed on crockery ordered for use in their own establishments.
§ The President of the Board of Trade (Mr. Harold Wilson)An embossed crest on plain crockery produced by the action of the mould is permitted. If, however, the hon. Member is referring to coloured crests involving a decorating process, I could not agree to the diversion of skilled labour from production for export.
§ Mr. HirstIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that it is a very limited concession for which I am asking, and that for many years there has been little outward and visible sign in mayoral, aldermanic and district council parlours of those things which we expect to find there, particularly when entertaining foreign guests?
§ Mr. WilsonThe pottery manufacturers have always put to me strongly that any change of this kind would lead to a direct loss of dollar exports.