HC Deb 23 February 1921 vol 138 cc957-8W
Mr. ALLEN PARKINSON

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the Report of the Sub-Committee of the Standing Committee on Trusts that, owing to the fact that the United Kingdom Manufacturers' Association, controlled by Messrs. Lever Brothers, has no effective competitor except the Co-operative Wholesale Society, and that, in consequence, the public has been obliged to pay an excessive price for soap, he will indicate what steps he proposes to prevent the further trustification of industry?

Sir P. LLOYD-GREAME

It is hoped if time permits to introduce permanent legislation dealing with the question of trade monopolies, but I regret that at present I am not able to make a definite announcement on this subject. The Profiteering Acts have been applied to soap, and it is open to anyone who considers that he has been charged a price which yields an unreasonable profit to the seller to lodge a complaint with the Central Committee (in respect of a wholesale transaction) or the appropriate local committee (in respect of a retail transaction).

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