§ Mr. Boardmanasked the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether, in view of the fact that mothers are of necessity buying socks for their young children, he will abolish the couponage on these goods;
(2) Whether he can promise an early improvement in the supplies of children's socks in the Leigh, Atherton and Tyldesley areas; and what steps he proposes to take to make children's woollen socks again available.
§ Mr. H. WilsonAlthough all practicable steps are being taken to increase the production of children's socks, supplies are still short, not now because of difficulties with yarn supplies, but because capacity is not adequate in the appropriate section of the hosiery industry. There is no evidence that the areas of Leigh, Atherton and Tyldesley are not getting their fair share of the available supplies.