HL Deb 22 July 1982 vol 433 cc970-2

3.13 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 they are in a position to announce the date on which they intend to publish proposals dealing with the reform of the consumer councils of the nationalised industries; and whether such publication will be accompanied by a statement in Parliament.

The Secretary of State for Trade (Lord Cockfield)

My Lords, Parliament will be informed of our proposals as soon as possible after the Recess.

Baroness Burton of Coventry

My Lords, I think the Minister is aware that I wish to be helpful and I realise there are difficulties. Does he recall that as long ago as 13th May I said that I was glad to receive a more positive response on this matter? Today my reply would seem to have been rather over-optimistic. May I ask the noble Lord if he realises that those of us who are concerned with consumer affairs in this country are finding it extremely difficult to retain our enthusiasm in view of these constant setbacks? May I ask him, finally, if, having said what he has said today as Secretary of State, he really and truly does mean business this time?

Lord Cockfield

My Lords, I am sure nobody would ever feel that the noble Baroness is losing her enthusiasm either for this or for any other subject. I entirely understand her feelings about the delay which has occurred in dealing with these matters. The consultative document was issued last December. The representations which we received did not show the unanimity of view for which we had hoped. We are, however, now working on the matter as diligently and rapidly as we can, and I hope that we shall have something to report in due course.

Baroness Seear

My Lords, does the noble Lord the Minister accept that there really is a very great sense of urgency about this? Where the nationalised industries are concerned, they are dealing with commodities of very great importance to everybody in the country, and there has been great concern about price increases and the lack of consumer protection in these industries.

Lord Cockfield

My Lords, I entirely appreciate the sense of concern which is felt about this. These are important matters. It is important that we get the right answer, and this is why I might perhaps ask that we should be given a little more time to think about the matter.

Baroness Elliot of Harwood

My Lords, may I ask the noble Lord whether it really is not possible to speed this matter up? It has been going on for ages. Everybody knows what they want and what they would like to have done. Why cannot the Government get on with it and do it?

Lord Cockfield

My Lords, I fear that my noble friend's prior premise is not correct. The difficulty is that people do not know what they want, and it is because of the division of opinion which appeared as a result of the publication of the consultative document that we are having to take more time to look at the matter.

Baroness Fisher of Rednal

My Lords, can the Minister tell us whether the proposals will deal with the future of consumer representation in relation to nationalised industries when they become privatised?

Lord Cockfield

My Lords, I think the noble Baroness is going outside the scope of the present study, which deals with consumer councils affecting the nationalised industries and not arrangements that would be made when industries are no longer nationalised.

Baroness Fisher of Rednal

My Lords, the particular point that I was concerned with was to do with British Airways.

Lord Cockfield

My Lords, I can only repeat what I have already said, that the present study relates to the nationalised industries. If an industry ceases to be a nationalised industry and becomes part of the private sector, that is a different question altogether. Indeed, one of the reasons for privatisation is to remove the monopoly power which has hitherto existed and is one of the major reasons why these consumer councils were set up.