§ 16. Miss Burtonasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that employers and trade unions engaged in the making of furniture are desirous that the name of the manufacturer shall be placed on the articles made; and if he will consider their recommendation, with a view to legislative action.
§ Mr. P. ThorneycroftAs the hon. Member was informed on 12th February and 3rd March last, Her Majesty's Government have decided not to provide for such marking by legislation. The views of all sections of the trade were fully taken into account before this decision was reached.
§ Miss BurtonThough none of us on this side imagines that a Minister would give wrong information, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he may not have been misled? Is he aware that both the trade unions and the employers in the furniture industry are desirous of this change, and will he say which side of the industry it was, if it was not the employers or the trade unions, which outweighed the views of these two bodies?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftThe retailers were against it. There is no prohibition on the part of the Government, and we do nothing to prevent anybody putting names on furniture.
§ Miss BurtonDoes the President attach more weight, then, to the views of retailers than those of either the manufacturers or the trade unions?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftI take into account all views, and form my own judgment on them.