§ 15. Mr. Collinsasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the 50 per cent. initial deposit on hire purchase of sewing machines is a hardship to poor people and is having a serious effect on employment in the industry; and if he will reduce the initial deposit to 20 per cent.
§ 20. Mr. Zilliacusasked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the fall in production and export of sewing machines resulting from the latest hire-purchase Regulations, he will reduce the initial deposit on this labour-saving household necessity from 50 per cent. to 20 per cent.
§ 21. Mr. Atkinsasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will reduce the initial deposit required under his Hire-Purchase Regulations on sewing machines from 50 per cent. to 20 per cent.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithNo, Sir.
§ Mr. CollinsIs the Minister aware that although the Singer Sewing Machine Co. exports over 80 per cent. of its output, this penal impost on an essential domestic article will increase both costs and prices and thereby reduce exports and defeat the object which we are told the Government have in mind? Will he therefore look at the matter again?
§ Mr. Walker-SmithI cannot accept the hon. Member's description of the hire-purchase restrictions as a penal impost and I see no reason that the good record of this industry in the export field should not be maintained. Of course, all these matters are under constant review, and in that we have been aided by the hon. Member's representations on previous occasions.
§ Mr. AtkinsDoes my hon. and learned Friend not realise that the other company manufacturing sewing machines is being seriously embarrassed in its efforts to increase its exports of these machines, and that if the Regulations are left as they are, such efforts as the company is making are most unlikely to be as successful as he would like them to be.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithAll industries pray in aid the desirability of a very large home market as a reinforcement for their export trade, but experience shows that some diminution of the home market is not always at the expense of the export trade.
§ 16. Mr. Collinsasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that on 16th March last more than 30 per cent. of the members of the National Union of Furniture Trade Operatives had been either discharged or were working short time; and if, in order to prevent futher deterioration of the employment situation, he will reduce the initial deposit on hire purchase of furniture to 15 per cent.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithI am aware that there is some short-time working in the furniture industry, but my right hon. Friend does not intend to relax the hire-purchase restrictions on furniture.
§ Mr. CollinsIs the Minister aware that the position which, as he indicated, is already serious, is very rapidly getting worse? Will he not therefore give some assurance that this matter will be looked into or at least give an indication of the level of production which is expected of the furniture industry?
§ Mr. Walker-SmithThe hon. Member will appreciate that the level of production of this industry must be looked at in the context of the substantial increase over the last year or two. As for the effect of the hire-purchase restrictions, furniture is still subject to only a 20 per cent. minimum deposit.
§ Mr. G. ThomasIs the Minister aware that 200 furniture workers in Cardiff have been on short-time employment during the past two weeks? Is he telling them that they must give up their craft and find some other way of earning their living?
§ Mr. Walker-SmithI think that the hon. Member has a Question down about that to another Minister.
§ Mr. CollinsOn a point of order. In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I beg to give notice that I shall raise the matter on the Adjournment.