§ 86. Sir I. Fraserasked the President of the Board of Trade what was the amount of paper used for the manufacture of wallpaper last year; of this amount how much was allocated to manufacturers who were operating prior to September, 1939, and how much to firms who have sprung up since the war ended; and to how many such firms.
§ Mr. BottomleyIt is contrary to our present practice to disclose figures of the allocation made to particular uses but I can inform the hon. Member that the amount allocated in 1947 to firms who were not engaged in the production of wallpaper prior to September, 1939, amounted to less than one per cent. of the whole allocation for wallpaper and only three firms were involved.
§ Mr. Harrisonasked the President of the Board of Trade if in view of the exces- 121W sive charges that are being made for often poor-grade wallpaper and the substantial profits of many production firms in that industry, he will take the necessary steps to guarantee better value for money to purchasers of wallpaper.
§ Mr. H. WilsonA number of complaints about the quality and price of wallpaper have been brought to my notice. The investigation of these cases has not disclosed any price control offence under the Prices of Goods Act, 1939, to which wallpaper prices are subject. The quality may in some cases have been inferior, but complaints on this score seem to be confined to a very small proportion of current production. For the last three years, and in spite of many cost increases, the majority of wallpaper manufacturers have maintained a voluntary standstill on the prices ruling in January, 1946. I am glad to have this opportunity of announcing that, following recent increases in production, I have been given an undertaking that these prices will be reduced from 1st January by amounts which should result in a drop in the general retail price level, including tax, of the order of 10 per cent. On particular lines the reduction may be more or less and a few may remain unchanged.