§ 6. Wing-Commander Robinsonasked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in cases where hotels whose equipment was requisitioned are unable to replace this from Government surplus stores, some kind of replacement certificate can he granted to enable them to replace from other sources such requisitioned items as are unobtainable in Government surplus stores, both for those items which now require some form of docket or permit and for those which, although docket free, are very difficult to obtain.
§ Sir S. CrippsThe Government have already given derequisitioned hotels and similar establishments a considerable amount of help with supplies of rationed equipment, including furniture, sheets, mattresses, curtain materials, etc., mainly under two schemes announced on 15th March and 5th December, 1946. Similar help is now being given to establishments derequisitioned too late to apply under the latter scheme. I am afraid that to apply the hon. Member's suggestion to unrationed goods, such as crockery, glassware, cutlery and carpets, would require the introduction of onerous measures of158W control over their distribution which would not be justified. I am satisfied, however, that hotels, etc., are in fact getting, at least their fair share of these comparatively scarce goods.