Fifth Schedule. — (Purchase Tax (Amendments of Schedule of Chargeable Goods).)

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 19 June 1951.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Sir William Darling Sir William Darling , Edinburgh South 12:00, 19 June 1951

Nothing could more justify the case recently made by my right hon. Friend the Member for Leeds, North (Mr. Peake), for an advisory committee to help the Chancellor of the Exchequer than the speech we have just heard from the Financial Secretary. In line 22 the advisers to the Government in this technical matter agree that scouring or dish cloths can be made from cotton or jute but not from cotton or rayon.

12.30 a.m.

When one comes to Clause 8, the argument of the Minister that squares which were made of cotton and rayon would be used for scarves, head coverings, and indeed for dresses, has not been fully met, because cotton dusters, woven in a single piece and having, except for a border on each of the four sides, an over-all check pattern of coloured yarns, and not exceeding 24 inches in length or width, will make an excellent washing frock. There the ingenuity of the Minister has been defeated. In his desire to avoid the sale of dusters for dress purposes, he has been unable to match the ingenuity which discloses itself in garments of squares in an over-all check pattern of coloured garments not exceeding 24 inches in length or width.

I have sympathy with the Minister as he flounders in this haberdashery world. He was obviously at sea in the world of elastic. He is obviously more at sea in the world of cotton and rayon. There is nothing to be ashamed of in being ignorant of this trade. Neither will he have anything to be ashamed of if he takes this matter back and gives it further consideration. I think he will then see that he is not achieving the object which he has in view, which is to prevent people making clothes out of dusters. I am glad that the hon. Lady the Member for Coatbridge and Airdrie (Mrs. Mann) is here to support me.