4. The clothing ration is above the present proposed, although austere, rate of civilian output as restricted by raw material supplies. The ration is at about the level of sales permitted under the Limitation of Supplies Orders and these sales are in turn at a higher level than is justified by raw material supplies. This excess is made possible by the existence of stocks conserved during the past year by the Limitation of Supplies Orders. If those stocks disappeared we should be faced with the awkward choice of either bringing the civilian population below the minimum standard contemplated in consumer rationing or of diverting shipping space from food to raw material and using more labour for civilian needs.