§ 9. Mrs. Mannasked the President of the Board of Trade, in view of the extent to which prices have increased in relation to quality as regards children's clothing, and men's outerwear clothing, between January, 1952 and November, 1954, if he will consider reintroducing schemes requiring a minimum standard in relation to cost.
§ Mr. P. ThorneycroftNo, Sir. The retail prices of children's clothing have fallen and the prices of men's outerwear have only slightly increased during this period. I have no intention of trying to lay down specifications of clothing or to control costs of wages, raw materials, etc., on which any scheme relating standards to price would have to depend.
§ Mrs. MannIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that his statement that the cost of children's clothing had fallen is in complete contradiction to the figures in the Ministry of Labour cost-of-living gazette, and if he has no intention of doing the right thing, is it because he is not capable of doing it? Is he not aware that his predecessor had a Utility scheme for standardised items such as gent's outerwear and school gym tunics which could surely be operated without difficulty?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftI do not think I can usefully add anything to the answer I have given.