§ Mr. Onslowasked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what steps she took, before the introduction of the price check scheme, to advise the retail stationery trade what goods should be included in the description "most other stationery items"; and if she will now list either the items concerned, or those stationery items to which the scheme does not apply.
§ Mr. MaclennanStationery retailers, like other retailers, were represented in the negotiation of the price check scheme through the Retail Consortium. The list of goods covered by the scheme was agreed by the Retail Consortium before the scheme was introduced. Trade associations in the retail trade, including the British Stationery and Office Products Federation, have been circulating to their members complete lists of the items covered by the scheme. An extract from this list, giving the stationery items, is set out below
Stationery items for retail sale: personal stationery paper; household books, i.e., memo pads, telephone message pads, address books and similar items.Albums.Fountain pen ink.Fountain pens.Felt and fibre tip pens, excluding markers 3 mm. and over intended for commercial use.Propelling pencils.Ball point pens.Pencils, crayons, chalk.Greeting cards and pictorial post cards.Retailers who have not received detailed information about the scheme from their trade association should contact their trade association. If they have a query which the trade association cannot answer they should telephone the retail inquiry unit in my Department at 01-222-0181. Questions about individual items should be addressed to the suppliers of those items.