§ Mr. Cledwyn Hughesasked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what plans she has to make more use of the advisory functions of the Price Commission.
§ Mrs. Shirley WilliamsI have decided to develop the commission's rôle in the investigation of particular pricing questions. Under Part II of the Counter-Inflation Act 1973 the Price Commission has the specific duty of enforcing the Price Code, but in addition, under the provisions of paragraph 2 of Schedule 1 to that Act, I can invite the commission to report on any question about prices. The power to make references to the Price Commission has already been used on a limited scale, and I now propose to introduce a new programme of references under the provisions of paragraph 2(i) of Schedule 1 to the Counter-Inflation Act 1973. My purpose wil be to invite reports on individual pricing problems of interest or concern, so that the facts of the situation can be established and explained to the public, and remedies sought for any abuses that may be revealed. I hope that the firms concerned will give the Price Commission their co-operation in this task.
I have today referred the following questions to the Price Commission for 143W examination and report under these arrangements:
- (a) The costs and prices of wholesalers and retailers of coal and manufactured solid smokeless fuels for domestic consumption and in particular how gross and net margins are arrived at, what are the current levels of these margins and the effect on these margins and on retail prices of increases in producers' prices.
- (b) The prices of sanitary towels and tampons and, in particular, the reasons for recent increases in their prices, with special reference to movements in raw material prices and to any other matters appearing to the commission to be relevant.
- (c) The price of commonly purchased special diabetic foods and, in particular, the reasons for any differences between the rate of recent price increases in and the general level of
144W
PUBLIC EXPENDITURE IN 1976–77: PROPOSED REDUCTIONS £ million at 1974 Survey prices Programme proposed reduction in—(a) Cmnd Current expenditure on goods and services Capital Other Transfer payments Total reductions 5879 (b) (c) (d) Defence … … 3818 110(e) — — 110 Overseas services … … 741 2 — 10(f) 12 Agriculture, fisheries and forestry … … 853 1 1 150 152 Trade, industry and employment … … 1421 3 — — 3 Nationalised industries … … 2394 — 100 — 100 Roads and transport … … 1781 7 74 10 91 Housing … … 3583 — 50 65 115 Other environmental services … … 1558 11 74 — 85 Law, order and protective services … … 1156 12 15 — 27 Education and libraries, science and arts … … 4753 52 34 — 86 Health and personal social services … … 4093 14 61 — 75 Social security … … 7625 — — — — Other public services … … 507 17(g) — — 17 Common services … … 563 2 10 — 12 Northern Ireland … … 1019 5 11 — 16 TOTAL … … 35,865 236 430 235 901 (a) in some cases the allocation of the reductions is provisional and subject to adjustment between programmes or categories of expenditure. (b) including current grants to private bodies. (c) includes gross domestic fixed capital formation, capital grants to private sector persons and non-profit making bodies, and net lending to private sector. (d) excluding transfers included under (b) and (c). (e) reduction in defence budget (£3,800 million in 1976–77). (f) reduction in overseas aid: a further £10 million will be saved in 1975–76. (g) includes cancellation of 1976 Census. Note: This table does not take account of those proposed additional expenditures mentioned in the Budget Statement. retail prices of such foods and comparable foods.
I shall also be asking the Price Commission to examine the price of food in outlying areas of the country. I am currently considering the terms of this reference.
I shall refer further questions to the commission as these reports are completed.