asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will request the Prices Advisory Body to hold a public inquiry concerning the cause and effect of the increase in the price of hides since January, 1949, the amount of the increase received since that date by firms and persons engaged in the fresh meat trade and the percentage increase in the price of boots and shoes since the date mentioned.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Price of Hides.
I am satisfied that no useful purpose would be served by asking the Prices Advisory Body to hold a public inquiry into the matters referred to in the Deputy's question. I assume the Deputy has in mind the price payable for hides arising from the export trade in meat. This position is under review at present.
If the Minister has not sufficient information at his disposal why does he not refer the matter back to the Prices Advisory Tribunal since it was appointed for the purpose of advising the Minister on matters of this kind?
The Prices Advisory Body has nothing to do with it. I fix the prices.
You fix them without consulting anybody?
Perhaps if the Deputy would consult Deputy Dillon he would get more information on the matter.
I am asking the Minister not to shelve his responsibility. I am asking the Minister to answer the question on the Order Paper.
The question on the Order Paper is not very clear.
If you do not want to understand it, it is not.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he is in a position to confirm that certain hide and skin merchants are paying 2/6 per lb. for cattle hides and if he will take steps to ensure that many victuallers will not be forced to accept less than 1/- per lb. for similar hides.
I have no information to show that any hide and skin merchant is paying more than the agreed maximum price of 1/- per lb. for domestic cattle hides, nor am I in a position to ensure that this maximum price will always be obtainable by sellers of hides.
The Minister has no information on whether hides are being put through as export hides and receiving the rate of 2/6 per lb. from retail victuallers? The report is that nearly 75 per cent. of hides from the tanneries are now being paid for at the rate of 2/6 per lb. which must effect an increase in the price of leather.
The main difficulty at the moment is that nobody is being paid anything.
What does the Minister mean by that?
I mean that as a result of this arrangement to pay 2/6 per lb. for export hides a very substantial amount of money is due to meat canners which has not been paid.
Due by whom?
Due by the tanners.
Is that because of high stocks?
Very high stocks.
And because of Deputy Dillon's folly.
Stockpiling.
Yes, stockpiling in peacetime.
At 2/6 per lb.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether, in view of the surplus of domestic hides now available and the reduction in world prices for hides, he will suspend the price differential at present in force which results in 60 lb. hides from cattle slaughtered for human consumption fetching £4 10s. 0d. a piece less than similar 60 lb. hides from cattle slaughtered for export and restore the unrestricted trading in Irish hides.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether, in view of the surplus of domestic hides now available and the tendency of world prices for hides to decline, he will remove all controls from the sale of hides on home and foreign markets and allow normal trading to be resumed in all classes of hides flayed from carcase meat for export or domestic consumption.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 11 and 12 together.
I am not at present prepared to remove the control on the export of hides.
The payment of an additional price for hides from cattle slaughtered for export is an important feature of the arrangements for the development of the carcase meat export trade to Britain. I do not contemplate its removal in existing circumstances.