§ 12. Mr. David Priceasked the Minister of Technology what administrative arrangements he has made for the implementation of the Government's prices and incomes policy in those industries for which he is the sponsoring Minister.
§ Mr. ShoreThe Ministry of Technology has made arrangements, in most cases through the trade associations concerned, to receive from manufacturers and to examine notifications of price increases under the voluntary early warning system for the products of the industries for which my right hon. Friend is the sponsoring Minister.
§ Mr. PriceIn the deplorable absence of the Minister, can the Parliamentary Secretary say whether his Minister will be following the lead of the Prime Minister in addressing trade unions in the industries for which he carries sponsorship as to the merits of sticking to the 3 per cent. norm in wage increases?
§ Mr. ShoreI do not see that that supplementary question arises from my Answer, or from the original Question. As the hon. Gentleman will be aware, the Minister of Technology is responsible, as other sponsoring Ministers are, for the price part of the early warning system. The questions of incomes is for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour.
§ Mr. OsbornCan the hon. Gentleman state which industries are concerned, and to which trade associations he refers?
§ Mr. ShoreI could, but there is a very long list. We are responsible for 27 of the products listed in the appendix to the relevant White Paper and there are, I believe, about 17 trade associations. If the hon. Member would like to put down a Question I will try to see that he gets an answer.