§ 68. Sir H. Roperasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the extent to which the businesses examined by the Monopolies Commission have incurred considerable costs because of the inquiries and have suffered disturbance and loss of trade including export trade through their managerial staff being obliged to give priority to the presentation of the industry's case to the 285W Commission; and whether he will introduce legislation by which industries will be compensated in respect of such costs and losses in those cases where the Commission or Government decides that their practices did not operate against the public interest.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithMy right hon. Friend is aware that inquiries by the Monopolies Commission necessarily put the industries concerned to considerable trouble but so far as he knows without the damaging effects on business to which my hon. Friend refers. The answer to the second part of the Question is "No."