64. Miss Leeasked the President of the Board of Trade if he has considered the evidence, sent to him by the hon. Member for Cannock, that monopoly pressures in the cable industry threaten to stifle fair competition and to expose the public to unduly high prices; and what steps he proposes to take to investigate the matter.
§ Mr. ErrollMy right hon. Friend has considered the information provided by the hon. Member. I am aware that there is at present keen competition in the electric cable industry, that prices have fallen and, indeed, that some manufacturers complain that prices are below cost. We are watching the position. We certainly have no ground for assuming that manufacturers are likely to charge unduly high prices in future. We have power to refer these matters to the Monopolies Commission, but do not think it would help to do that now.