§ 26. Mr. Foxasked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what changes she intends to make to the price check scheme in view of the Budget.
§ Mrs. Shirley WilliamsI hope it will be possible to maintain price restraint on the items affected by increases in duty, and I am consulting industry about the implications for the price check scheme of the proposals in the Budget Statement.
§ Mr. Neubertasked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection, pursuant to the Written Answer in the Official Report on 26th March 1976, c. 317, if she will publish in the Official Report the full text of the letter that the hon. Member for Gloucester (Mrs. Oppenheim) wrote to the Minister of State on 1st March 1976.
Mr. Alan WilliamsI cannot. The hon. Member for Gloucester (Mrs. Oppenheim) only felt able to send me 395W the letter on "Strictly Private Personal and Confidential" basis. The hon. Member for Gloucester made it quite clear that I would be held personally responsible should the entire contents or the name of the writer of the letter be divulged to anyone. I suggest the hon. Member approaches the hon. Member for Gloucester if the hon. Member wishes to see a copy.
§ Mr. Neubertasked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection, pursuant to the Written Answer from the Minister of State, Department of Prices and Consumer Protection on 26th March 1976, column 317, if she has now received the full text of the letter from the hon. Member for Gloucester (Mrs. Oppenheim); and if she will publish the extract deleted from the original copy that was sent to her.
Mr. Alan WilliamsI now have. J am unable to publish it since the hon. Member for Gloucester (Mrs Oppenheim) insists that I treat the copy letter on a "Strictly Private and Confidential basis".
§ Mr. Neubertasked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection, pursuant to the Written Answer in the Official Report on 26th March 1976, column 317, if the letter that the hon. Member for Gloucester (Mrs. Oppenheim) sent to the Minister of State, Department of Prices and Consumer Protection at his request, contained and confirmed the authenticity of the quotation she read out in the debate on the Price Code on 18th February 1976, columns 1413–4.