§ Colonel Errollasked the President of the Board of Trade what steps are being taken to remedy the present growing shop shortages of boots, shoes and clothing.
Lieutenant Hughesasked the President of the Board of Trade the amount of the clothes ration for the period beginning 1st September.
§ Sir S. CrippsAs from 1st September next, a further 24 clothing coupons will be available. But it has been decided that this new issue of coupons must be made to last for a longer period. I must, therefore, ask the public not to expect a further issue of coupons for another eight months, that is until 1st May. It will be realised that the whole object of clothes rationing would be defeated if more coupons were issued than there were supplies available to meet. Supplies of yarn and cloth of all kinds are at present very short. I am taking all possible steps to ensure that the textile, clothing and footwear industries, and particularly cotton, where labour is shortest, put themselves in a position to attract labour back as rapidly as possible. As the House will appreciate, it takes time to turn yarn into cloth and cloth into finished garments, and whatever increases there may be from now on in yarn production cannot affect supplies in the shops for many months.