§ Q9. Mr. David Stoddartasked the Prime Minister if he will recommend the appointment of a Royal Commission to study costs and methods of food distribution.
§ The Prime MinisterNo. Recent legislation has conferred wide-ranging powers on my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection. In addition, the Price Commission is responsible for controlling both gross and net margins in the distributive trades. The Commission also regularly monitors retail prices and has carried out a number of detailed studies into prices and margins in this field.