§ 9. Mr. Giles Shawasked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection how many orders have been made by the Price Commission with regard to excess prices since the Price Code commenced.
§ 24. Mr. Macfarlaneasked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection how many orders have been made by the Price Commission with regard to excess prices since the Price Code commenced.
§ Mr. MaclennanThe Commission has issued nine notices under Section 6 of the Counter-Inflation Act requiring firms to restrict prices or charges in order to conform with the Price Code. In the 12-month period up to last August the Commission also secured about 3,000 price reductions worth about £80 million, and over 1,000 price increase notifications were rejected, modified or withdrawn.
§ Mr. ShawI thank the Minister for that reply. Will he and his right hon. Friend take note of the massive degree of voluntary co-operation which British industry has undergone in the application of the code? Will he note also that only nine actions were enforced, whereas about 22,000 companies are involved in the operation of the code? Will the Minister encourage his right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to pay proper and due tribute to the way in which British management is coping with this ever-increasing burden?
§ Mr. MaclennanI believe that my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has already done so—when he met the CBI earlier this year.
I pay full tribute myself, together with my colleagues in the Department, to the co-operation of industry in the implementation of the provisions of the Price Code. Industry has played a notable part in helping to restrain rates of inflation in this country. I hope that Conservative Members, who are so ready to criticise the operations of the Price Code, will accept that just as much as I do.
§ Mr. HendersonDoes the Minister recall a scheme called Price Check, and will he tell us whether it has died or simply faded away?
§ Mr. MaclennanThe hon. Gentleman is a number of months out of date. It has ended.