§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) whether he will cause an investigation to be made to ascertain why, on Tuesday 6th February 1973, a 17½ fluid ounce bottle of Ribena was being sold at 26p 363W at a store at Ipswich, at 29p at another store at Ipswich, at 34p by a store at Bury St. Edmunds, at 32½p at another store at Bury St. Edmunds, at 30p by a third store at Bury St. Edmunds and at 22½p by a store at Colchester;
(2) whether he will cause an investigation to be made to ascertain why, on Tuesday 6th February 1973, a 3 lb. bag of plain flour was being sold at 11½p at a store at Ipswich, at 10½p at another store at Ipswich, at 13½p at a third store at Ipswich, at 12½p at a store at Bury St. Edmunds, at 13½p at another store at Bury St. Edmunds, at 12p by a third store at Bury St. Edmunds and 14p at a store at Colchester;
(3) whether he will cause an investigation to be made to ascertain why, on Tuesday 6th February, an 11 ounce jar of Coffeemate was being sold at 31p at one store at Ipswich, at 32p at another store at Ipswich, and 32p at a store at Bury St. Edmunds, when the same was on sale at another store in Colchester for 28p;
(4) whether he will cause an investigation to be made to ascertain why, on Tuesday 6th February 1973, a 1 lb. jar of a brand of lime/lemon marmalade was being sold at 11½p at a store at Ipswich, at 14½p at two other stores at Ipswich and at 12p at a further store at Ipswich, at 13½p at a store at Bury St. Edmunds and at 14p by a store at Colchester;
(5) whether he will cause an investigation to be made to ascertain why, on Tuesday 6th February 1973, a 1 lb. jar of a brand of country honey was being sold at 24½p at one store at Ipswich, at 28p at another store at Ipswich, and 24p at another store in Ipswich, at 25p at a store at Bury St. Edmunds and at 24p at a store at Colchester.
§ Mr. GodberThe standstill requires retailers not to increase their cash margins above the pre-6th November levels. This does not mean that price variations from shop to shop cannot occur as a result, for example, of special offers or differing cost structures. All the evidence I have indicates that food retailers are acting within the arrangements for implementation of the standstill agreed with the Government. My Ministry maintains a Food Prices Unit which is at all times ready to investigate364W complaints of the kind referred to in these questions. If the hon. Member will let me have full details I will have them investigated at once.
§ Mr. Cordleasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the Government will give special dispensation during the wages and prices freeze to enable bread prices to be increased; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GodberIn considering applications from manufacturers for consent to increase prices during the standstill I have to take into account the criteria set out in the White Paper "A Programme for Controlling Inflation: The First Stage". These criteria will be applied to any applications made by the bakery industry for an increase in bread prices during the present stage of the Government's anti-inflation policy.