§ Sir E. Graham-Littleasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will inquire into a case, details of which have been submitted to him, of a small trader prosecuted by his Department for overproduction of certain articles used by the housewife; if he is aware that this check operates unfairly on small businesses who have responded to the Prime Minister's appeal for increased production; and if he will rectify the position.
206W
§ Mr. BelcherThe case to which the hon. Member refers has been the subject of court proceedings, in which the manufacturer concerned was found guilty and a fine was imposed. In reply to the first part of the Question, I consider, therefore, that any further inquiry on my part would be both unnecessary and inappropriate. As regards the latter part of the Question the control on the manufacture and supply of cosmetics and other toilet preparations restrict the amount that can be supplied to the home market by manufacturers, whether large or small, but there is no control on manufacture for export.