Price Monitoring

HC Deb 27 October 1975 vol 898 cc1012-3

7. Mr. Cartwright

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if she will make a statement about the reaction of local authorities to her proposals for local price monitoring.

13. Mr. Peter Morrison

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection how many local authorities have availed themselves of the grants available to them from her Department for the provision of price information.

Mrs. Shirley Williams

I am very pleased at the encouraging response. A total of 130 firm and provisional applications in respect of about 460 shopping centres have been received; 108 are from local authorities.

Mr. Cartwright

Is my right hon. Friend aware that certain local chambers of commerce have voiced their total opposition to the concept of price comparisons? Will she confirm that the honest retailer has absolutely nothing to fear from this process if it is competently and fairly undertaken? Therefore, will she press on with her campaign to persuade more local authorities to undertake this work?

Mrs. Shirley Williams

I thank my hon. Friend for his support. In the preliminary surveys we have discovered that savings of as much as 20p in the pound can be made by shopping where the best value for money is available. We should tell those in the retail trade that we take their claims about competition seriously and intend to make competition really effective. The retailer who is efficient and is serving his customers properly not only has nothing to fear but everything to gain from the facts being widely known.

Mr. Morrison

Is the right hon. Lady satisfied that her policy on price information is working? Not all local authorities have jumped at the grants which are available. Is she sure that she is not wasting the taxpayers' money in what amounts to a purely Socialist public relations exercise?

Mrs. Shirley Williams

Two-thirds of local authorities have submitted applications, and much as I should like to hope that my party controlled two-thirds of local authorities, it does not. Among those authorities is the hon. Gentleman's own county and among the areas covered is his own constituency. Therefore, he will be able to see on the ground how effective the policy is.