HC Deb 10 April 1945 vol 409 cc1655-6
18. Sir G. Mander

asked the President of the Board of Trade what action the Government propose to take to carry out Section 54 of the White Paper on Employment, involving obtaining power, to obtain information as to the extent and effect of restrictive agreements and of the activities of combines; and to take appropriate action to check practices which may bring advantages to sectional-producing interests but detrimental to the country as a whole.

Mr. Dalton

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Penryn and Falmouth (Mr. Petherick) on 27th March.

Sir G. Mander

Does my right hon. Friend realise that this is urgent; and will he undertake to introduce legislation at any rate some time before the end of this Session and the beginning of next?

Mr. Dalton

That is a matter on which anybody's guess is as good as any other.

Mr. Stephen

Will the right hon. Gentleman consult with the Minister of Labour and the Minister of Information on this?

Mr. Dalton

Certainly with the former.