§ 17. Mr. Benceasked the President of the Board of Trade the details of the terms of reference to the Monopolies Commission for their inquiries into the subject of pneumatic tyres.
§ Mr. H. StraussThe hon. Member will find the terms set out in Appendix 2 of the Board of Trade's Annual Report for 1952 on the operation of the Monopolies and Restrictive Practices (Inquiry and Control) Act, 1948 (House of Commons Paper No. 98, Session 1952–3).
§ Mr. BenceIs the hon. and learned Gentleman aware that recently a snooper of the rubber monopoly, disguised as a farm labourer, purchased a tyre for £7 6s. 8d. and had a penalty of £25 imposed on the shopkeeper by the motor trades association? In view of the opposition of hon. Gentlemen opposite to snoopers who go round to see that people do not charge too much, will he put this before the Monopolies Commission and forbid private monopolies to employ snoopers to ensure that people do not sell cheaply?
§ Mr. StraussI do not think that supplementary question arises out of the Question on the Order Paper, but I have no doubt whatever that the Monopolies Commission will have noted what was said on this subject recently and today.