§ MR. CHIOZZA MONEY (Paddington, N.)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been directed to the fact that great combinations of capital, or price rings, or both, have been formed in connection with the manufacture of iron and steel, tobacco, soap, sewing-cotton, wall-paper, cement, and other products, with the result that monopolies or quasi-mono-polies have been created and prices raised against the consumer; and whether he will consider the advisability of introducing legislation to establish public competition with the monopolists or to-secure public control of the monopolised trades.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. LLOYD-GEORGE,) Carnarvon BoroughsI have heard of the existence of combinations of manufacturers of a number of articles including those mentioned in the Question of my hon. friend. The Board of Trade are fully 703 alive to the importance of the matter, but I am not at present prepared to introduce legislation on the subject.