HC Deb 09 July 1959 vol 608 cc1559-60
44. Mr. Owen

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will now state the membership of the Committee appointed to consider the question of consumer protection.

49. Mr. Dodds

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is yet able to name those appointed to the Committee formed to give additional protection to the consuming public.

Sir D. Eccles

Mr. D. I. Wilson has accepted my invitation to serve on the Committee, the membership of which is now complete.

Mr. Owen

Could the President of the Board of Trade tell the House what is the composition of the Committee? That is the essential point in the Question.

Sir D. Eccles

The answer to that point was given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary on 7th July in answer to two Parliamentary Questions.

Mr. Dodds

Having seen the names of the members of this Committee, may I ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he appreciates that in the past it has invariably been the custom to appoint a member with Co-operative experience to committees and marketing boards concerned with consumer interests? Does the right hon. Gentleman think that the best results will be obtained when there is not a single person with any knowledge of the Co-operative movement and its 13 million members or of local authority activities on the Committee?

Sir D. Eccles

There is a representative from local authorities, but there is an embarrassing number of interests in this country connected with consumer purchases. We looked at this matter very carefully, and I decided that a smallish committtee would be most useful, and I think that we have a very good one.

Mr. H. Morrison

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether there is any organisation or identifiable body with as much right to speak for the consumer as the Co-operative movement, with its 13 million members? Why has he gone out of his way to ignore what is undoubtedly the body most representative of the consumer?

Sir D. Eccles

I have not gone out of my way to ignore the Co-operative movement. There are very many people connected with the retail trade who are not represented—[HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."]—on this Committee. There are two or three members who have well-known affiliations with the party opposite.

Mr. Owen

On a point of order. In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I beg to give notice that I will raise the matter on the Adjournment.

Mr. Dodds

On a point of order. Owing to the very unsatisfactory nature of the Answer, I also will try to raise the matter on the Adjournment.