§ 19. Mr. Doddsasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that, as a result of his order operating from 1st March, relatively cheap nine carat gold wedding rings will cease to be manufactured; and if he will give sympathetic consideration to the representations made to him by the Jewellery and Silverware Council.
Mr. H. WilsonYes, Sir. I will shortly make an amending order excluding nine carat and 14 carat gold from the prohibition of manufacture in the Copper and Zinc Prohibited Uses (Board of Trade) Order. Meantime, my Department will, on application, grant any licences needed to permit manufacture of nine carat gold rings to continue.
§ Mr. DoddsIs my right hon. Friend aware that this information will be received with pleasure by many people who are contemplating holy matrimony?
§ Mr. Geoffrey LloydWill the right hon. Gentleman consider also making other amendments of a common-sense nature in respect of other consumer goods?
Mr. WilsonWe are, at the moment, going into the question of exemptions for export, but I am not sure that the right hon. Gentleman and I would necessarily agree on what are amendments of a common-sense nature.
§ Mr. AwberyIs my right hon. Friend aware that some of the manufacturers of this cheap jewellery manufacture for export purposes and that if he stops the supply of raw materials we shall lose dollars.
§ Mr. RedmayneIs the right hon. Gentleman smiling at the description of "relatively cheap" being applied to the jewellery when the jewellery and silversmiths' trade bears an enormous burden of Purchase Tax?