HC Deb 26 June 1952 vol 502 cc2432-3
42. Mr. W. T. Williams

asked the President of the Board of Trade to what extent sales of radio and television have dropped during March to May over the preceding three months.

Mr. P. Thorneycroft

No separate figures are available of retail sales of radio and television sets but, with the hon. Member's permission, I will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT, figures of manufacturers' deliveries. These show that in the three months, February to April of this year, deliveries of radio sets to the home market fell by 21 per cent. compared with the preceding three months, and that the comparable reduction in all deliveries of television sets was 4 per cent.

Mr. Williams

In view of the fact that production, particularly in relation to television sets, has fallen very little, is it not obvious to the Minister that what is really happening is that the Regulations with regard to television credit sales are being evaded in a wholesale fashion? Would not the Minister be prepared either to bring in new Regulations to prevent this abuse of the intention of his earlier Regulations, or to put an end to these Regulations which merely injure the lawful trader as against the illegal trader?

Mr. Thorneycroft

If the hon. Gentleman will study the answer he will see that the figures show that the policy of Her Majesty's Government with regard to these Regulations in this field is proving quite effective.

Following are the figures:

— Domestic Radio Sets Television Sets(a)
Total Home Market
'000 '000 '000
1951
November 158 102 74
December 127 74 65
1952
January 140 80 64
February 127 72 70
March 138 80 71
April (provisional) 89 50 53
(a) Deliveries are at present almost entirely for the home market.