Mr. Rostron Duckworthasked the Prime Minister whether he will, to allay public uneasiness, make a statement as to the extent to which shops and business establishments, closed by reason of war concentration, will be subject to continued official control after the war?
§ Mr. AttleeI presume that my hon. Friend refers to businesses closed under the policy of concentration. This policy1178W has been applied only to manufacturing industries and not to the retail trade. As stated in the White Paper on Concentration of Production (Cmd. 6258, March 1941) the Government Departments concerned will take all measures open to them to assist the speedy reopening of closed factories as soon as possible after the war.