Mr. De la Bère:

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will take steps to ensure that excessive prices are not charged for household materials such as curtains, in cases where people have to buy the more expensive types of materials which are free of coupons and dockets.

Price regulation committees do their utmost to ensure that excessive prices are not charged for the small quantities of the more expensive furnishing fabrics which are available without the surrender of dockets or coupons. The prices of these fabrics are controlled, but are high because, amongst other things, they are in many cases expensive to weave and are liable to Purchase Tax, which is chargeable at no per cent. on pile and woven-figure fabrics. Cheaper materials, such as utility net and certain cretonnes, can be bought for coupons and without dockets, and others, such as dyed hessian and plastic sheeting, can be bought without either coupons or dockets.

Mr. De la Bère:

Does not the Minister appreciate that after many weary years of war the housewife wants a little colour, hope and enjoyment; and would not the best solution be to give a greater number of dockets and coupons, and, if need be, to reduce the exports? We want a little cheer at home, after all, even from the Board of Trade.

The Board of Trade are only too anxious to bring some cheer into the home, but increasing the number of dockets and coupons, without increasing the amount of material available, would not have the slightest effect upon the housewife.

Mr. De la Bère:

I want to spread a little ray of sunshine somehow.