§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Industry how many people were employed in the British footwear manufacturing industry in each of the past five years; and how many pairs of boots and shoes were manufactured in Great Britain in each of the past five years.
§ Mr. MeacherThe number of people employed in the footwear industry in Great Britain in the last five years was:
('000) 1969 1970 1971* 1972 1973 101.7 97.1 95.3 91.1 87.8 85.4 * The basis on which employment data are collected was changed in 1971. It is estimated that the corresponding production of boots and shoes was as follows:
(million pairs) 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 201.4 197.7 197.3 188.0 193.6