HL Deb 21 March 1977 vol 381 cc240-1

2.55 p.m.

Baroness BURTON of COVENTRY

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether it is their intention to make a considered Statement on the recommendations contained in the report of the National Consumer Council entitled Consumers and the Nationalised Industries and, if so, when this is expected.

Lord GRAM

My Lords, the Government will make a full Statement when their consideration of the report, and of the related report of the National Economic Development Office on the nationalised industries and the study of industrial democracy in the nationalised industries, is complete.

Baroness BURTON of COVENTRY

My Lords, that does not get us any further, but I did not really expect it to. Bearing in mind the Minister's very real interest in this matter, will he try behind the scenes to push this matter forward? Is he aware that today there is considerable anxiety about the position of consumers in relation to the nationalised industries? Perhaps it might be possible to do something about that position without waiting for the Statement to which he refers.

Lord ORAM

My Lords, I certainly share my noble friend's interest in this matter of consumer protection generally, and I shall certainly do anything that I can to help consideration of this report and the related ones. In her opening sentence my noble friend indicated that she was a little pessimistic about progress. I urge her to consider that quite a number of organisations are currently commenting on the report. This is necessarily a process which takes time. As I emphasised in my Answer, this is a question of co-ordinating consideration of this particular report with the other related reports.