§ 9. Mr. Hugh Jenkinsasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will introduce legislation to stop collusive tendering in the electrical 877 contracting industry and the agreements made between major companies to delude public authorities and the practice by which firms agree to submit unsuccessful tenders under a financial arrangement with the successful tenderer.
§ Mr. John DaviesAs I told the hon. and learned Member for Warrington (Mr. W. T. Williams) on 9th November, these practices are already covered by existing legislation.—[Vol. 806, c. 2.]
§ Mr. Hugh JenkinsCould the right hon. Gentleman say how much money is involved in the 32 cases that were recently before the Restrictive Practices Court, whether it is thousands, hundreds of thousands or millions of £s, what arrangements are being made to refund this money to the public authorities which have been grossly overcharged, and whether any criminal proceedings are contemplated?
§ Mr. DaviesThe public authorities concerned are themselves able to undertake the necessary processes to recover losses they have sustained. This matter does not fall directly under the control of my Department, because the Restrictive Practices Court is a statutory organisation on its own. It has its own responsibilities. Therefore the matter is within its hands, not within mine.
§ Later—
§ Mr. Hugh JenkinsOn a point of order, Mr. Speaker. Mindful of your guidance that points of order should be raised at the end of Question Time and not during it, may I give notice that as the answer to Question No. 9 was not satisfactory I will seek to raise this matter on the Adjournment.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. I told the hon. Gentleman last week that giving notice in such a way is a work of supererogation.