HC Deb 20 July 1943 vol 391 cc665-6
4. Sir Leonard Lyle

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the difficulty in many parts of the country of securing proper repairs to boots and shoes owing to the shortness of leather; and whether its importation from abroad can be increased before the winter?

Mr. Dalton

I am doing my utmost, in co-operation with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Supply, to secure the maximum import of leather and hides in the next few months. Additional supplies of rubber composition soling are also being provided, and the materials for repairs are being distributed as fairly as possible throughout the country.

Mr. Thorne

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the leather being used for making boots, especially children's boots, has not the life it used to have, and, further, is he awart that a pair of children's boots were sent to me the other day by a lady who said that they had been worn only three days and were worn out?

Mr. Dalton

I am not at all satisfied with some of the shoes, and I daresay that those received by my hon. Friend from his lady friend are no better than some I have received. They are not as good as I would like them to be or, I am sure, as the House would like them to be. I am doing my best to improve things, but the difficulties of the position are well known. The best leather, as I think the House will agree, must be reserved for the Armed Forces, particularly at this stage of the war. Hard leather is necessary in order to tramp up the Sicilian mountain sides.

Mr. Hammersley

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the shortage of this material for civilian purposes has been considerably aggravated by its use by the Army for purposes for which substitute material could be used? If I give him some details, will he look into the matter?

Mr. Dalton

I shall be glad to have any particulars. We have to keep the adjustment between military and civilian demands.