HC Deb 12 July 1956 vol 556 cc569-70
18. Mr. Allaun

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the new consequence of the credit squeeze in the furniture industry in that the re-upholstery scheme, which asks for no deposit and so much a week, among other things, is jeopardising the British Standards Institution standards of cleanliness of materials; and if he will therefore amend his regulations to remedy this.

Mr. P. Thorneycroft

No, Sir.

Mr. Allaun

Does the Minister remember that in 1952, when they ended the Utility scheme, the Government placed confidence in the industry to maintain standards of quality, whereas the credit squeeze is, in the view of the union, so encouraging unscrupulous manufacturers that all the standards of cleanliness which the union has fought for so long to maintain are being undermined?

Mr. Thorneycroft

I cannot agree that we should extend the operations of the credit squeeze into the sphere where people are merely having their own furniture re-upholstered. That does not seem to be a reasonable thing to do.