§ 35. Squadron Leader Burdenasked the President of the Board of Trade if, in view of the increased ceiling prices for certain categories of utility wool cloth as from 1st February, 1951, it is the intention of the Government to introduce some mark of designation to denote quality for each category.
Mr. H. WilsonThe increase in the maximum prices of utility wool cloths from the beginning of this month is necessary to allow for the higher cost of wool and does not indicate any change in the utility scheme. All utility wool cloth already bears a number in a place adjacent to the utility mark which indicates the statutory specification with which the cloth complies. The specification applicable to each number is described in Statutory Instrument, 1950, No. 2086.
§ Squadron Leader BurdenIs it not a fact that the numbers given to utility wool cloths do not denote quality and that a particular category may contain more or less fibre? Is it not quite improper to describe as wool cloth categories of cloth containing as much as 85 per cent. fibre? Would it not be more proper and honest to describe them as woollen fibres?
Mr. WilsonThat last point raises a separate issue. On the first point, I am sure that the hon. and gallant Member realises, as would anyone who knows the wool trade, that it is impossible to provide detailed specifications which give a guarantee of quality grade by grade. What the utility scheme does is to give some assurance of value for money.
§ Squadron Leader BurdenThen why did the Minister not make that perfectly clear in his first answer, which contained the implication that the number of the cloth designates quality? It does not do that. It gives a price control and not a quality control.