asked the Minister of Supply if he is aware of the shortage of cutting shears for the tailoring and hosiery trades; and what steps he pro poses to take either to have them manufactured in this country or imported from the U.S.A.

Yes. This shortage is due primarily to the lack of skilled labour in the small section of the hand tool industry which specialises in the production of these tools in this country. Imports are already being authorised, but cutting shears are also difficult to obtain abroad.