HL Deb 22 July 1981 vol 423 cc233-4
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 they will now make a statement on the report dealing with the position of consumers and the nationalised industries.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade (Lord Trefgarne)

My Lords, we will do so as soon as possible.

Baroness Burton of Coventry

My Lords, I have a list of dates on a paper here, but as I expect the noble Lord has them in his file I shall not enumerate them. But may I ask him whether he would agree that this has been going on for some nine months, since I was told by his noble friend Lord Trenchard last October that the report was expected before the end of the year? Does the noble Lord recall that he himself told us in March that it would not be very long, and in May that he hoped it would be before the Recess? As the Government now appear to have gone back even on that, and in view of the concern of the consumer organisations, could he be a little more helpful?

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, I must confess that my best expectations have not been realised in this matter. It is still just possible that we shall be able to say something before the Recess, but I am afraid I cannot guarantee that.

Baroness Burton of Coventry

My Lords, while being glad that the noble Lord has expectations, as I have, and hoping that they will be better fulfilled, may I ask him whether "before the Recess" means before we rise for the summer Recess, or before the end of the overspill in the autumn?

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, in view of the past disappointments, the noble Baroness may forgive me if I am not too specific on this matter. But I should say that this is a problem of very considerable complexity. I think the noble Baroness knows how many bodies we have to consult, how many major industries are involved and, indeed, how many Government departments.

Lord Underhill

My Lords, may I ask the noble Lord what regard the Government pay to reports from consumer bodies? Also, what is the attitude of the Government to the report from the consumers' committee for the gas industry, which strongly criticised the closing down of the gas showrooms?

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, as the noble Lord will remember, the Government had to consider a number of reports on this matter, including, in particular, the report from the Monopolies and Mergers Commission —a very powerful report—the main thrust of which we decided to accept.

Lord Paget of Northampton

My Lords, is not the truth of the matter that, in a monetarist society, the interests of consumers rank very low indeed?

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, it is certainly not the case that the interests, wishes and views of consumers rank low in the consideration which the present Government give to these matters. As the noble Lord will be aware, my honourable friend Mrs. Oppenheim is specially charged with looking after these matters and, in my opinion, does a very good job.

Baroness Elliot of Harwood

My Lords, would it not help the Government very much indeed if they got out this report, in view of all this speculation? There is, no doubt, a very good reason for the decision about the gas showrooms and this could be explained. If the Government would only get the report out immediately, I should have thought there would be an enormous advantage.

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, the report which the noble Baroness, Lady Burton, is asking me about is not specifically aimed at the gas industry, but goes far wider than that, encompassing the position of all the main consumer consultative bodies and the nationalised industries which they represent. The question of the gas showrooms is a much narrower one, on which your Lordships expressed your view when I repeated the Statement the other week.

Baroness Burton of Coventry

My Lords, in view of the long disappointment over this matter, would the noble Lord be generous enough to let me know when it would be useful to put down a Question, so that we might spare the House further boredom on this matter?

Lord Trefgarne

My Lords, I shall be happy to let the noble Baroness know a little way in advance when the announcement is in prospect.