§ 38. Mr. Wingfield Digbyasked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development whether, in his forthcoming legislation affecting resale price maintenance, he will include special provision to safeguard the public against excessive charges by retailers for spare parts, such as those for motor cars.
§ 39. Mr. Wingfield Digbyasked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development what is the annual value, to the last convenient date, of retail goods sold with and without being subject to resale price maintenance, respectively; and, in the case of the former, what is the average retailer's margin.
§ Mr. HeathIn the year ended September, 1963, retail sales of goods subject and not subject to resale price maintenance were, broadly, £5,000 million and £8,000 million, respectively. It is not possible for me to ascertain the average retail margin on the whole field of goods subject to resale price maintenance.
§ 48. Mr. Stonehouseasked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development what deputations he has received in favour of the continuance of individual resale price maintenance; and what replies he gave to their representatives.
§ Mr. HeathI have received one official deputation, from the Resale Price Maintenance Co-ordinating Committee. I undertook to consider what they said.
§ 51. Mr. Swinglerasked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development how many communications on the subject he has received once his announcement of Her Majesty's Government's intention of abolishing the system of resale price 198W maintenance; what proportion of these communications was in favour of abolition; and what proportion was against.
§ Mr. HeathAbout 600. Those from traders—about three quarters of the total—were mostly opposed to abolition of resale price maintenance. Those from other members of the public were mainly in favour of the Government's proposals.
56. Mr. R. Gresham Cookeasked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development whether, in connection with the drafting of the new resale price maintenance legislation, he well take into account the desirability of allowing the owner of a product identified by his trade mark or brand name, to stop distributors from making misrepresentations about it, or using it as a loss-leader.
§ Mr. HeathIn drafting the Bill, I am taking account of all relevant considerations, and I have noted the points raised by my hon. Friend.