§ 71. Mr. Walkdenasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that because of uncontrolled prices for non-utility garments, materials and craftsmen are being diverted or attracted to certain firms which produce only non-utility clothing; and whether he will take steps to ensure that allocation of woollen and worsted cloth is conditioned by a reasonable ratio of production of utility clothing.
§ Mr. BelcherThe balance of production between utility and non-utility cloth is determined by the relative proportions of cloth produced, and not by differences in the prices of the finished garments. It is not practicable or desirable to introduce a cloth allocation system on the lines suggested, since there are some 25,000 clothing manufacturers engaged in a wide variety of different types of business. These firms should be left free, subject to the quantities of utility and non-utility cloth available, to use the materials best suited to their normal trade. My hon. Friend is mistaken in suggesting that the prices of non-utility clothing are uncontrolled. They are subject to the General Apparel and Textiles Order, 1945, and, in addition, ceiling prices have recently been fixed for most types of women's non-utility outerwear.