HC Deb 02 November 1948 vol 457 cc48-9W
101. Dr. Stross

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the demand on the home market for simple decorated pottery, and of the increasing difficulty of selling the medium and cheaper grades abroad, he will consider, in the near future, a complete or partial relaxation of the present regulation against the sale of such pottery in the home market.

Mr. Bottomley

The purpose of the present restrictions on the supply of decorated ware for the home market is to maximize our exports, and we could not relax them unless we were certain that exports would not suffer thereby. The possibility of a partial relaxation for plain coloured ware has been discussed with the British Pottery Manufacturers' Federation within the last fortnight, but they have advised strongly that even this would lead to the diversion to the home market of goods that would otherwise be exported. We are still examining the possibility of allowing certain articles of plain coloured ware which are not exported in any quantity, to he sold at home, but can hold out no hope that any relaxation which may prove to be possible will extend to the main articles of domestic use, such as cups and saucers and plates.

104. Dr. Stross

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many applications he has received, and what was their value to the latest convenient date, for pottery to be treated as frustrated exports.

Mr. Bottomley

Seventy-one applications to a total value of some £97,000 had been received by the end of October.