HC Deb 20 July 1994 vol 247 cc314-5
18. Mr. Jamieson

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has made of the effect of the reduction in the National Consumer Council's budget on its work in 1994–95.

Mr. McLoughlin

I am confident that the National Consumer Council will continue to promote and safeguard the interests of consumers as a whole.

Mr. Jamieson

Does not the Minister consider that reducing the budget of the NCC by £430,000 a year will seriously impair its ability to represent consumer interests? Is that reduction being made because the NCC's recent report has embarrassed the Government? For example, it showed that single pensioners in the south-west have to spend 9.1 per cent. of their income simply to pay their water bills.

Mr. McLoughlin

We take no lessons from the Opposition on the funding of the NCC. In 1976–77, funding was £452,000. The latest figure is £2.47 million which is an increase in real terms of 46.5 per cent. so we will shall take no lessons from the Opposition.