§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many official compaints have been received concerning 13W the abuse of VAT in total and on a weekly basis since its introduction to the most recent available date.
§ Sir G. HoweWeights and measures inspectors received about 40,000 price complaints in the three weeks up to 20th April following the abolition of purchase tax and SET and the introduction of VAT. Of these some 55 per cent. were received in the first week, 30 per cent. in the second week and 15 per cent. in the third week.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many complaints have been made in Liverpool concerning VAT since its introduction to the most recent available date.
§ Sir G. HoweWeights and measures inspectors in Liverpool received about 700 complaints about price adjustments following the introduction of VAT between 1st April and 27th April.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what notice was given to local authorities weights and measures departments prior to the introduction of VAT.
§ Sir G. HoweThe Government's intention to designate weights and measures inspectors to investigate prices during the transition to VAT were announced in a White Paper in January—The Programme for Controlling Inflation: The Second Stage, Cmnd. 5205. They were subsequently discussed with the local authority associations.