33. Mr. Norman Smithasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will consider an amendment of company law to prevent statutory monopoly firms from circularising political propaganda to their customers.
§ Sir S. CrippsI do not think that an amendment such as my hon. Friend suggests would be appropriate for inclusion in a Companies Bill.
Mr. SmithIs my right hon. and learned Friend aware that only last week every customer of the Western Kent Electric Co. received with his quarterly account a leaflet which says, among other things, that under nationalisation the price of coal is going up and up, and does my right hon. and learned Friend think it is desirable in that way to mix business with mendacity and malice?
§ Sir S. CrippsThat seems to be a matter for the shareholders of the company.
§ Mr. Ronald ChamberlainIs my right hon. and learned Friend aware that in my own constituency of Norwood the South London Electric Supply Corporation have been issuing a lurid pamphlet which ends up by saying that nationalisation will mean high prices and bad service, and does he not agree that such a statement is entirely unwarrantable, hypocritical, misleading, and untrue?