§ 20. Mr. Ioan L. Evansasked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what communications he has received from trading organisations stating that they were reducing retail prices because of the reduction in the import surcharge on 27th April.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. The inquiry may be most indiscreet.
§ Mr. AlbuWe have no precise information about individual price changes from trading organisations or from other sources. But it follows clearly from the recent White Paper on Prices and Incomes Policy Cmnd. 2639 that where non-labour costs are reduced and there is no off-setting an unavoidable increase in labour or capital costs per unit of output, prices ought to be reduced.
§ Sir T. BeamishOn a point of order. I apologise for interrupting, but as the Minister of State did not say "I have been asked to reply" and as this is the third occasion on which the First Secretary has absented himself on an occasion when his Questions are to be reached and when he must have known it, is not the House owed some explanation of this apparent discourtesy?
§ Mr. SpeakerIntriguing as it may be, it does not give rise to any matter for the Chair, for it is in no position to dictate a course of action.
§ Sir F. BennettFurther to that point of order. With great respect, I think that it does concern the Chair, because you yourself, Mr. Speaker, said that the question on the subject might be indiscreet. Could you elaborate whether you meant that it would be indiscreet to question or answer?
§ Mrs. Renée ShortYou little twerps.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. I have nothing to add to what I said seriously just now. The answer to the question of the hon. Member for Torquay (Sir F. Bennett) to myself, although described as a point of order, is that it is not my intention to pursue that a step further.
§ Sir A. V. HarveyOn a point of order. This is a different subject. I distinctly heard the hon. Lady the Member for Wolverhampton, North-East (Mrs. Renée Short) say "You little twerps", thus addressing it to the Chair—[Interruption.]
§ Mr. SpeakerWe have considered in the course of this Session the precise meaning of that term in another context. In the circumstances, I have to say that 828 it appeared to be directed to a multiple object. Let us get on.
§ Mr. EvansIf we can get back to Question No.20; I thank my hon. Friend for his Answer. Would he consider submitting this matter to the Prices and Incomes Board, because when this import surcharge was first introduced it led to certain trading organisations saying that this was a reason why they would increase prices?
§ Mr. AlbuFirst, I should like to thank hon. Members opposite for the free publicity which they always give me when I appear at the Box. In reply to my hon. Friend's question; of course, if there were any general signs that the import surcharge were being used for raising prices above their appropriate level, we would consider his suggestion.
§ Sir Knox CunninghamWould the hon. Gentleman consider removing this surcharge completely from the raw materials being brought into Northern Ireland for man-made fibres, as this industry is being adversely affected by the surcharge?