§ Mr. Johnasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that parents and wives of prisoners of war are unable to provide wearing apparel and footwear to their relatives who are prisoners of war because no coupons are available; and will he take the necessary steps to provide additional coupons covering the needs of the prisoners?
§ Captain WaterhouseAs my right hon. Friend stated yesterday, arrangements have now been made for this purpose.
Mr. Rostron Duckworthasked the Minister of Health whether, as many parents will not supply clothes for their evacuated children, the householder on whom the children are billeted is entitled to use the coupons and debit the parents with the cost of the articles supplied, or whether the local authority can use the coupons and collect the sums due from the parents with whom they keep in touch?
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§ Mr. E. BrownThe primary responsibility for supplying evacuated school children with clothing must continue to rest with the parents and the question of coupons is one for private arrangement between the parent and the householder with whom the child is billeted. To cover the exceptional case where the parent fails to make provision for his child, arrangements already exist under which the local authority for the evacuating area, in co-operation with the teachers and W.V.S., can supply necessary articles, recovering the cost from the parent if he is in a position to pay. The introduction of a rationing scheme for clothing does not affect these arrangements except in so far as it will now be necessary for coupons to be collected from the person in charge of the child's ration book in respect of new articles provided in this manner. Detailed instructions have been sent to my Regional officers who are in a position to give guidance to local authorities and others on the procedure.