§ Major NEWTONasked the Minister of Munitions, with reference to his recent Order on the subject of platinum metals, and with reference to Regulation 30A of the Defence of the Realm (Consolidation) Regulations, 1914, whether he will give instructions to ensure that the issue of permits to the retail jewellery trade in respect of manufactured stocks at present held by them is expedited as much as possible; and whether in the meantime the Order in question may be varied to the extent of permitting the sale by the retail trade without permit of articles of jewellery in which the value of the platinum does not exceed, say, 25 percent., or such other proportion as may be considered adequate, of the total value of such articles?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEArrangements have been made to avoid any delay in granting permits to jewellers to sell their existing stocks of jewellery. It is therefore unnecessary to deal with the question of a percentage.