114. Mr. N. Smithasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that, due to the closing of certain foreign markets, lace stocks are accumulating at Nottingham to the embarrassment of manufacturers; and if he will authorise the release of the stocks to the home market.
§ Mr. H. WilsonA number of countries, including the United States and Canada, are willing to import lace, and the opening of other markets which are at present closed to our exports is an important objective of our bilateral negotiations. It would be against the interest of the export drive to allow lace to be supplied on the home market at the present time.