§ Commander Nobleasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what is the subsidy on a standard utility shirt, a pair of men's utility socks, a pair of men's utility boots and shoes, men's utility woollen vests and men's utility suits, respectively.
§ Sir S. CrippsI have been asked to reply. I regret that it is not possible to express the subsidies on utility cloth and the subsidy element in leather prices in the manner suggested in the Question, since there are no "standard" articles of apparel and footwear to which to refer, but it is calculated that the subsidy on utility cotton cloth amounts to about 1s. 2d. on a 10s. shirt and the subsidy2W on utility wool cloth to about 7s. 6d. on a £5 suit. Owing to the manner in which the subsidy on ides is operated and to the variety of types of leather used for each specification of boot or shoe, it is not possible to give a reliable estimate of the amount of subsidy in boots or shoes of any particular category. There is no subsidy on knitted vests and socks.