§ 28. Mr. Liptonasked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection whether reduced retail prices of contraceptive sheaths came into effect on 1st December last; and how much these reductions are.
Mr. Alan WilliamsLRC International has undertaken to specify and publicise maximum retail prices for its principal brands of contraceptive sheaths and to make it a condition of sale that these prices should not be exceeded. Despite rising costs over the period, the maximum prices of the higher-priced products are being reduced from their 1973 levels by 3p a packet of three, and those of the medium-priced brands by ½p a packet of three. The price of the cheapest brand is being held steady. The new price structure came into force on 1st December but it does not affect sheaths which retailers had in stock before that date. The aim of the undertakings is to reduce the company's profits on home sales of contraceptive sheaths to approximately £525,000 in a full year. The comparable figure for 1972–73 was £2,015,000.
§ Mr. LiptonIs my hon. Friend aware that my sources of information reveal that many people do not know anything at all about these price reductions? Is he further aware that in view of the many millions of those things that are sold every month, his admission is very damaging?
Mr. Alan WilliamsI am considerably heartened by my hon. Friend's continuing interest in this subject. The price levels apply to deliveries as from 1st December, and therefore they would be appearing in many of the shops over a period of time, but I also understand that certain chemists have already reduced prices.