Purpose designed brassieres for women who have had a mastectomy could soon get some kind of duty relief.

A "housekeeping" Bill on customs tariffs was passed Wednesday after little debate by Bermuda's parliamentarians, but not before a question from Opposition MP Kim Young revealed that the brassieres were not covered for duty relief although it applied to "medical appliances designed to compensate for a disability or physical defect". Finance Minister Eugene Cox said that he was out of his depth when Mrs. Young asked whether the brassieres were covered.

He said the relief would be applied in the case of appliances used to compensate for disabilities "not for surgery".

But Mrs. Young hotly replied: "If it was a male problem I'm sure it would be considered a disability. These women have to live with it for the rest of their lives."

Health Minister Nelson Bascome said he would look at the problem if representations were made. "My colleague has given a fit and proper answer - I will take it under advisement," Mr. Cox said. The Bill's primary purpose is to correct some unintentional increases in duty that occurred when Bermuda brought its tariff classification system up to international standards in 2000.

Besides providing relief for the medical appliances, the Bill also lowered rates paid for non-aerated drinks with less than 100 percent juice, church tithing envelopes and horse drawn carriages. And bait for use by commercial fishermen can now be imported duty free.