HC Deb 05 February 1953 vol 510 c2000
5. Miss Burton

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will take steps under the Goods and Services Act, 1939, to control hotel prices for seats and rooms to view the Coronation procession.

Mr. P. Thorneycroft

No, Sir. I think that the hon. Member will agree, if she considers the implications, that such control would be impracticable to introduce and quite impossible to enforce.

Miss Burton

While agreeing with that reply, may I ask if the right hon. Gentleman is aware that the Coronation Accommodation Committee have given wrong information about these charges? Would he therefore recommend to the hotel industry that they should publish a list of the charges they intend to make at Coronation time so that an unscrupulous minority may be exposed?

Mr. Thorneycroft

That raises a separate Question which I think the hon. Lady has put down for Written answer. This Question asks me whether I will exercise power to control prices. I am satisfied that that is not, whatever the hon. Lady might wish, a practical suggestion.

Miss Burton

I was not asking the right hon. Gentleman to take action to, control prices. I was asking if he would recommend to the hotel industry that they should publish their prices.

Mr. Thorneycroft

That is a separate question from the one on the Paper.