HC Deb 16 March 1949 vol 462 cc195-7W
Mr. Albu

asked the President of the Board of Trade the physical output and value of utility production for each of the classes of goods for which such

Utility Production in the United Kingdom in 1948 Column (1) as a percentage of total supplies for Home Civilian consumption (a)
(1) (2)
WOVEN CLOTH FOR CLOTHING:— Deliveries "000,000 square yards
Cotton and linen … … 256.5 72
Rayon and nylon … … 150. 71
Wool … … 161.8 72
FURNISHING FABRICS (b):—
Non-wool … … 31.6 59
Wool … … 3.9 40
HOUSEHOLD TEXTILES:—(Principal types) Millions
Towels … … 22.1 80
Sheets … … 7.5 89
Pillowcases … … 9.9 72
Blankets (including cot blankets):
Cotton … … 6.4 86
Wool … … 5.1 96
"000,000 square yards
Ticking … … 17.5 78
Production "000,000 pairs
FOOTWEAR (other than rubber footwear) … … 84.6 62
… … Sales by value £"000,000
HOSIERY (c) … … 73.5 90
Production"000,000 garments
CORSETS AND BRASSIERES (d) … … 22.3 87
Sales"000,000 pairs
BRACES … … 8.7 79
Sales
Quantity"000,000 pairs Value£"000,000
GLOVES (e) … … 13.8 7.3 78(by quantity)
"000 garments
FUR GARMENTS (and trimmings) … … 214.6 3.2 55 (by value)
"000 articles £"000
CIGARETTE LIGHTERS … … 235.1 18.4 10(by quantity)
Millions
PENCILS (f) … … 112.7 540(estimated) 100

schemes applied for the year 1948; and the proportion that these figures represent of total home consumption in each case.

Mr. H. Wilson

The information asked for is set out in the table below, so far as it is available; where figures for the calendar year are not available, those for the nearest 12 months are given. Utility goods exported have been excluded throughout. In most cases consumption for Government uses is not readily available in a comparable form, and consequently the percentages are given throughout as percentages of home consumption for civilian use only.

Utility Production in the United Kingdom in 1948 Column (1) as a percentage of total supplies for Home Civilian consumption (a)
(1) (2)
BEDDING:— Production"000 articles
Mattresses … 2,375 81
Bolsters … 230 90
Pillows … 1,554 84
Quilts … 764 69
FURNITURE (g):—(principal items) "000 articles
Wardrobes … 485 Not available
Dressing chests, dressing tables and tallboys … 895
Bedsteads (metal and wood) … 996
Chairs (dining and kitchen) … 2,330
Sideboards … 344
Dining tables … 458
Kitchen cabinets … 99
Kitchen tables … 67
Sets of shelves … 62
Nursery furniture … 508
3-piece suites:—
Easy chairs … 747
Settees … 310
Fireside and easy chairs … 971
Bed chairs, bed settees and divans … 215
Woven fibre chairs … 346

The estimated value of utility furniture production in 1948 was £60,000,000 (at manufacturers" prices), to which may be added slightly over £1,000,000 worth of utility school furniture.

  1. (a) Total supplies are adjusted to allow for imports where these are significant.
  2. (b) Deliveries for transport organisations, hospitals and other institutions, which are all non-utility, are excluded for non-wool furnishing fabrics but included for wool.
  3. (c) Includes outerwear, underwear, socks and stockings, and garments made-up from knitted fabric in the hosiery industry.
  4. (d) Surgical corsets, belts and brassieres have been excluded.
  5. (e) Excluding knitted gloves, and industrial and sports gloves.
  6. (f) Including "war drawing" pencils as utility.
  7. (g) Great Britain only.