§ Sir G. Foxasked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is aware that, on 29th November, the regional mining supplies officer of the mines department of Newcastle-on-Tyne wrote to private firms with regard to the shortage of alarm clocks and requested such firms to write to the Ministry of Supply urging them to make increased allocations of alarm clocks to Newcastle; and whether this action is in accordance with normal practice.
§ Mr. GaitskellThe action taken was not in accordance with normal practice but was due to a misunderstanding on the part of my regional officer. The supply of alarm clocks to this mining area has been disappointing and my regional supplies officer was instructed to suggest to retailers in his area that they should make representations on the subject to their wholesale suppliers. The suggestion that retailers should write to the Ministry of Supply was made inadvertently, and steps have since been taken to correct the position.