HC Deb 12 July 1960 vol 626 cc88-9W
57. Mr. Swingler

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has considered the evidence from the Staffordshire Potteries Water Board sent to him by the hon. Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme, concerning identical tenders recently submitted to the Board for cast-iron pipes and special castings; and if he will bring this matter to the attention of the Registrar of Restrictive Trading Agreements.

58. Mr. Harold Davies

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the collusion between contractors who present identical tenders for cast-iron pipes and special castings to the Staffordshire Potteries Water Board; and whether he will bring the matter to the attention of the Registrar of Restrictive Trading Agreements.

Mr. J. Rodgers

My right hon. Friend has sent to the Registrar the information he has received on this subject from the hon. Members for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Mr. Swingler) and Stoke-on-Trent, North (Mrs. Slater). Any further action is for the Registrar and not for my right hon. Friend. The fact that four firms submit closely similar tenders does not, of course, necessarily mean that they do so by agreement.