§ Mr. Milneasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will institute an inquiry into the retail price, manufacturing costs, research expenditure and the amount spent on advertising of detergents and associated articles in the light of his decision to allow detergent manufacturers to increase their prices: and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. CroslandNo. I have already taken into account factors of the type referred to by my hon. Friend in deciding to raise no objection to the proposals by Unilever to increase the prices of certain of its household detergents. I would consider the same factors in examining any other proposals under the voluntary early warning arrangements.