§ Mr. Rostasked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection (1) whether she will inquire into the prices charged for goods at duty-free shops by British Rail at ports, on British Rail Sealink services, and at airports, in order to establish why prices for such goods as cigarettes, tobacco, wines and spirits, are higher than they would be if normal retail make-up percentages were added to duty-free wholesale cost; and whether she will establish who benefits from these profits;
(2) whether she will ask the Director of Fair Trading to investigate the price of goods sold at duty-free shops at airports, ports, and on board British Airways and Sealink ferries.
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§ Mr. MaclennanWe have no immediate plans to investigate duty-free shopping, but I will bear the hon. Member's concern in mind. I should point out that the Government's main instrument for domestic price control, the Price Code, can have no bearing in this matter since goods sold beyond the Customs barrier are not goods supplied to the home market as defined by the code.