Mr. Leslie Haleasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a detailed statement of the retail price of a normal pair of utility men's and ladies' boots and shoes, showing the amount of the price which goes respectively to manufacturer, wholesaler and retailer.
Mr. H. WilsonThe information for which my hon. Friend asks is not available. Under the simplified arrangements announced on 16th May, in answer to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Leicester, North-West (Mr. Janner), prices of utility footwear are now controlled only by reference to maximum prices on sale to the public. Intermediate marginal controls have been eliminated and the proportion of the final selling price (which is often less than the maximum price) going to the manufacturer, wholesaler and retailer respectively depends entirely on the terms of the transactions at each stage.