§ 35. Mr. George Lawsonasked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if she will seek powers to provide assistance to passengers of shipping companies who are being faced with forfeiture of fares because of unavoidable cancellation.
Mr. Alan WilliamsI am consulting the Director General of Fair Trading under Section 2 of the Fair Trading Act 1973 on what action might be taken on the question of fares.
§ Mr. LawsonMay I ask my hon. Friend whether he thinks that this would be of any assistance to the old couple in my constituency—Mr. and Mrs. McMillan—who have been deprived of £599.50, sacrificed at the behest of Chandris Shipping Lines Limited, whose chairman will not even speak with me on the telephone? Is not it disgraceful for any firm to behave in this way, more especially one which seems to be run by Greeks and which has most of its shares registered in Guernsey, thus avoiding tax in this country?
§ Mr. William HamiltonThey are Greek Tories.
Mr. WilliamsI am grateful to my hon. Friend for bringing this matter to my attention. He will appreciate that I must now await a reply from the Director General.