45. Mr. J. T. Priceasked the President of the Board of Trade the peak world price of leather reached following the Korean war, the price today as a ratio of that maximum figure and the relative figures for retail footwear prices and boot and shoe repairs over the same period.
§ Mr. H. StraussThere is no single world price for leather. The wholesale prices index for leather for footwear in the United Kingdom published monthly in the Board of Trade Journal, reached a peak of 203.4 (with 30th June, 1949=100) in April, 1951. In December, 1952, this index stood at 127.1—a fall of 37.5 per cent.
Corresponding figures of retail prices for footwear are not available, but a 1188 review published today in the Ministry of Labour Gazette states that in the year ended 16th December, 1952, the average fall in retail prices of footwear was 7 per cent.
No separate figures are available for the price of footwear repairs.
Mr. PriceAs the Minister told us not very long ago, with his hon. Friends, what were the chief factors causing the hole in the purse; as one of the most serious holes in the housewife's purse is the cost of footwear; and as the fall in world prices for leather has not been reflected in the price of footwear or shoe repairs, is it not time that the Ministry took strong action on the line adopted by a leading boot manufacturer, the chairman of Bata Footwear, Ltd., who walked out of a trade meeting not long ago because of the action of the trade?
§ Mr. StraussThe hon. Member asked only for statistical information, but I may inform him that the peak figures for leather were never reflected in the prices of footwear.
§ Mr. ShepherdThe manufacturer referred to by the hon. Member for Westhoughton (Mr. J. T. Price) was a manufacturer of rubber footwear and not of leather footwear. Is it not a fact that since the Korean war there have been two increases in wages in this industry and one increase in transport charges?
§ Mr. IsaacsIs the hon. and learned Gentleman aware that one famous boot manufacturing company this week declared a dividend of 62 per cent.?
§ Mr. StraussThat question does not arise out of the Question on the Order Paper.