§ Mr. T. Macphersonasked the President of the Board of Trade whether in view of the fact that many people purchasing utility furniture find that after months of use the furniture rapily deteriorates by the ravages of woodworm or lyctus beetle, he will stop the issue of sapwood for the manufacture of utility furniture.
§ Mr. H. WilsonThe suggestion made by my hon. Friend, and other methods of dealing with lyctus infestation, have been most carefully examined by my Department, in consultation with the furniture industry. The danger of infestation can be considerably reduced by sterilisation through heat treatment by kilning. The prohibition of the use of sapwood would be most difficult to implement and would on balance waste valuable raw material; I do not, therefore, propose to adopt this course. The amount of loss caused by this infestation is very small in relation to total output of furniture.