§ 2. Mr. Gwilym Robertsasked the Minister of Power what figures are available of the amounts spent in recent years by the Electricity Boards and Council, Gas Board and Council, and National 191 Coal Board, on advertising and the general sales promotion for heating, lighting, and cooking appliances; and if he will take steps to reduce wasteful competition and consider introducing some integration between the selling sides of these organisations.
§ Mr. FreesonFollowing a request by my right hon. Friend's predecessor the industries held their promotional expenditure in 1966–67 within a limit of £3 million each, and this restraint was continued in 1967–68. We are also considering ways of improving co-operation between the industries.
§ Mr. RobertsWould my hon. Friend not accept that co-operation in this matter requires some urgency, since the present competitive set-up is costing the public money? Would he not agree that one of the most stupid aspects of private enterprise is the unnecessary competition between substitutable products, sometimes made by the same company?
§ Mr. FreesonNo, I would not accept that generally. There is a large area of valuable competition between the nationalised industries coming within my Department's purview which has had a good impact on the results to the consumer over past years. I agree, however, that there are areas in which there could be valuable co-operation for the future; we are looking at this.