§ 1. Mr. Doddsasked the President of the Board of Trade what progress has been made in the introduction of the Kite mark quality scheme for furniture by the manufacturers.
§ The President of the Board of Trade (Mr. Peter Thorneycroft)The British Standards Institution has announced that under the specifications for cabinet goods, dining-type chairs and tables, licences to use the Kite mark have been issued to just over 200 manufacturers, whose output is estimated to represent rather more than two-thirds of the industry's production of cabinet goods, over half that of dining-type chairs and over a quarter that of tables. It is too early to estimate the effect of the specifications recently published for bedstead ends. I understand that specifications for upholstered furniture are well advanced.
§ Mr. DoddsWill the right hon. Gentleman keep a close watch on this matter? Is not he aware that many of the best furniture manufacturers are afraid that if some persuasion is not used the scheme might collapse and, with it, reasonable minimum standards?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftI think that fairly good progress has been made.