asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state when he expects that there will be an improvement in the supply of smoking pipes; if he will state the number of firms engaged in the manufacture of these articles in this country; and whether, if it is a fact that the short supply is due to scarcity of materials, he will endeavour to make arrangements to have such materials made available.

There are at present three firms engaged in the production of smoking pipes in this country. The scarcity of pipes which has been experienced for some time past is due to difficulties in securing raw materials from abroad. There is, however, reason to believe that the raw material position will improve in the near future and that supplies of pipes will become more plentiful.