§ 31. Mr. OSWALD LEWISasked the President of the Board of Trade which articles of food or clothing in common use by the majority of workers in this country are shown by the Board of Trade statistics to be the subject of a monopoly or quasi-monopoly?
§ Mr. W. GRAHAMThere are no Board of Trade statistics hearing on this subject, but the Consumers' Council proposed to be set up under the provisions of the Bill now before Parliament will be 227 able to obtain information showing how far monopoly conditions may exist in the food and clothing trades.
§ Mr. LEWISAm Ito understand that the Board of Trade have at present no evidence that such monopolies exist?
§ Mr. GRAHAMNo, Sir; there is a good deal of information regarding trusts and monopolies in this country, but a reply to the hon. Member's question in the terms in which he put it led to this reference to the Consumers' Council, in the report of which exact details will be obtained.