asked the President of the Board of Trade what progress has been made with the adoption and application of standards of finishing for furnishing fabrics.

I understand that draft specifications, which include standards of finishing, have been prepared for upholstery fabrics and are at present under consideration in conjunction with the draft British Standard for upholstered furniture. Certain performance standards for curtain cloths are also under consideration.

Will the right hon. Gentleman do all he can to expedite the final decision in this matter, in view of the fact that for some housewives the purchase of furnishing materials is a major capital expenditure and they are entitled to have a reasonable assurance about the quality of what they buy?

Yes, Sir, certainly.

:Would the right hon. Gentleman also ensure that these specifications are flexible enough to allow at least the trial introduction of new materials?

:That is, no doubt, one of the factors which the British Standards Institution will bear in mind.