HC Deb 05 December 1946 vol 431 cc126-8W
10. Lady Noel-Buxton

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is yet in a position to make a statement about the supply of equipment to the hotel industry for the 1947 season.

Mr. Marquand

Earlier this year, under a scheme which was announced on 15th March, and in the administration of which the main hotel trade associations gave most valuable help, a quantity of sheets, blankets, and mattresses were allocated to more than 1,000 establishments in the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man which lacked equipment as the result of bomb damage or requisitioning and were in a position structurally to open by 31st July, 1946. Arrangements were also made for the import from Holland of a certain number of bedroom suites, which are now arriving in this country, and a quantity of Government surplus linen dowlas has been allocated to hotels for use in the upholstering of furniture. These schemes were the most that could be provided in 1946. The importance of developing our foreign tourist trade and the need to rehabilitate establishments catering for home holidays, makes it essential that we should give further help in time for the 1947 season. The House will appreciate, however, that the goods needed by hotels and similar establishments are, in general, those in most urgent demand by the ordinary domestic consumer. So long as these goods are scarce, the quantities which can be made available to hotels, etc., are necessarily limited.

As, therefore, we cannot meet all the requirements of this industry in full, we have decided that help should first be given to those establishments of special importance to the economy of the country and to those which have suffered most as a direct result of the war. The claims of other establishments must be deferred for the time being. For the present, facilities can be given only to four main classes of establishment:

  1. (1) those with equipment damaged by enemy action which did not have 127 their minimum essential requirements met under the scheme earlier this year:
  2. (2) those lacking equipment as the result of requisitioning or evacuation from Defence Areas, which did not have their minimum essential requirements met under the scheme earlier this year:
  3. (3) those with essential equipment unserviceable through accommodating war-time billetees for a substantial period:
  4. (4) those of special importance to overseas visitors.
In addition, we hope to be able, in certain circumstances and after adequate consideration of the claims of these 4 main priority classes, to give some help to new establishments catering primarily for overseas visitors and home holiday-makers.

During the operation of this scheme we hope to be able to provide for the minimum essential needs of these priority establishments for sheets, blankets, mattresses and ticking for mattresses, curtain materials and upholstery cloth, towels, linoleum and certain items of utility furniture such as beds, divans and easy chairs. I should point out, however, that not all these goods are wholly rationed and in most cases some part of their production is already available to hotels as to other customers. Carpets, crockery, glassware, cutlery and certain other items needed by hotels, although in some cases in short supply, are not rationed in any way. For this reason we cannot make any special arrangements for their supply to hotels and similar establishments.

I must emphasise that we can give no guarantee that the supplies of the rationed goods which we shall be able to make available will be sufficient to meet the minimum essential needs of all establishments in the priority classes to which I have referred. Indeed in some cases I feel sure they will not. For example it will be necessary, apart from any other limitations, to restrict the issue of towels to establishments catering for overseas visitors and the issue of linoleum for use in bathrooms and lavatories.

Forms for application under this scheme can be obtained from the Board of Trade, Tourist, Catering and Holiday Services Division, Vincent House, Vincent Square, London, S.W.I, and should be completed and returned at the latest before 15th January, 1947. We are anxious to complete the allocation of supplies as early as possible in the New Year and I cannot undertake to consider any claims received after that date. No allocations will be made before then, because we must ensure that similar treatment is given to all claims irrespective of the date on which they are received. As soon, however, as the final basis of allocation has been determined, every effort will be made to issue the units, dockets, etc., as rapidly as possible, with the object of ensuring that the equipment concerned can be obtained before the opening of the 1947 Season.

While I feel sure that this statement will be generally welcomed and will, I trust, be accepted by the industry as a whole as an indication of the Government's readiness to help them to meet their responsibilities, I recognise that it will be a disappointment to those establishments outside the priority classes which have carried on for many years, in the same way as the ordinary domestic consumer, without being able to secure replacements of equipment. We must, however, proceed by stages and the arrangements I have announced today are only the second stage in the tackling of a problem the solution of which can make a great contribution to our invisible export trade and will be of inestimable benefit to the health and happiness of our own people. As for the future. I can assure the House that this whole question will be kept under constant review and that further supplies will be made available at the earliest practicable moment.