Oral Answers to Questions — National Finance – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 15 June 1948.
asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what are the total proceeds of sales by auction of goods seized by the Customs for the six months to the latest available date, giving the figures for articles of clothing and jewellery separately.
Such goods are now sold by tender. Sales in the six months ended 31st March, 1948, fetched £72,240. This sum includes £28,123 for jewellery, including watches, and £5,268 for clothing and other textile goods.
As regards clothing, could the Financial Secretary say whether the buyers have to surrender coupons?
Normally, I gather, they are tendered for by wholesalers, but of course the eventual purchaser would have to hand in coupons for what he buys.
Could the right hon. Gentleman tell us what proportion of that came out of Germany?
I am sorry, but I cannot do so without notice.
Can my right hon. Friend say whether "clothing" includes coats made of fur?
No, Sir, I could not say.