§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what progress has been made on the special reference to the Price Commission 518W on motor fuel retailers' margins; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mr. Maclennan:I have received an interim report from the Price Commission and it is published today. Copies will be available in the Vote Office, the Printed Paper Office, and the Libraries of both Houses. They will also be on sale to the public through HMSO.
The report's main conclusion is that, both in the later of the two periods covered by the detailed study, that is, the third quarter of 1974, and at the end of 1974 following the December price increase, retailers' margins were generally not unreasonable and could be considered fair both to the retailers and to the consumer.
The commission's final report, expected shortly, will give a more detailed picture of retailers' operating costs, based on the information collected during the survey made last year, and will comment on developments since the interim report was written.