§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what steps he is taking to protect 577W the consumer from excessive prices and profits arising from the drought.
§ Mr. HattersleyThe potential problem is limited to potatoes and other outdoor vegetables. Since the beginning of 1976 the Price Commission has been monitoring prices and distributors' margins on potatoes. No evidence has emerged from the Commission's reports to suggest that distributors have taken advantage of the consumer. Nevertheless, since this year's potato crop is likely to be no greater than last year's I have asked the Price Commission to continue this monitoring throughout the 1976–77 season.
Because of the possibility of relatively short supplies of some other outdoor vegetables, I have asked the Commission to carry out similar checks in relation to prices and margins for cabbages, cauliflowers, brussels sprouts, carrots and turnips. In addition I have instructed it to keep under review the retail prices of dehydrated potato and other foods—rice, pasta, and frozen and canned peas—to which consumers turned last year and may turn again this year to replace those in short supply.