§ 45. Mr. Garro Jonesasked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that the variation of price-fixing principles as between the spending Departments is giving rise to avoidable difficulties of administration and to dissatisfaction as between Government contractors receiving unequal treatment from various contract branches; that the Select Committee on National Expenditure in their recent Reports have repeated proposals for unifying the control of price-fixing; and whether he will direct the production executive or the Treasury to consider these proposals?
§ The Lord Privy Seal (Mr. Attlee)My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister is not aware of any divergence between the spending Departments on the principles of price fixing, though uniform application of principles over a vast range of activities 456 is not easy to accomplish. The recommendations of the Committee have been carefully considered, and the hon. Member will find the result in memoranda which the Committee have received and published. While Ministers have not accepted the particular recommendation under this head, steps are being taken to secure the greatest possible measure of uniformity both on the forms of contract and the determination of price.
§ Mr. Garro JonesIs my right hon. Friend aware that if the Prime Minister has read the Report of the Select Committee, he must be aware of the divergencies of principle, because those are specified in the Report?