§ Mr. Richard Wainwrightasked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection in what areas of the United Kingdom retail consumers are charged the maximum prices permitted under the Cheese Prices Order of November 1975.
§ Mr. MaclennanCheese prices vary from shop to shop in all areas, and full information is not available, but a number of shops in various parts of the country, including many outlying areas, are known to have been charging the maximum prices specified in the order for some varieties of cheese.
§ Mr. Richard Wainwrightasked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what is the average retail profit margin preserved by the Cheese Order of November 1975, expressed as a percentage of selling price.
§ Mr. MaclennanRetail profit margins for cheese vary according to the nature of the business, and it is not possible to calculate the average. The Cheese Prices (No. 2) Order 1975 requires each retailer not to exceed the gross percentage margin he obtained on cheese in a seven-day period including 13th August 1974.
§ Mr. Richard Wainwrightasked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what representations she has received from trading and consumer organisations since the publication of the Cheese Prices Orders in November.
§ Mr. MaclennanWe have received no representations since the publication of the Cheese Prices (No. 2) (Second Amendment)120W Order 1975. Organisations representing the trade, consumers and enforcement authorities were consulted before the order was made.
§ Mr. Richard Wainwrightasked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what guidance she proposes to issue to local consumer protection departments regarding explanation of the Cheese Prices Order of November 1975 to retailers and enforcement of it.
§ Mr. MaclennanMy Department has provided local consumer protection departments with detailed notes explaining the provisions of the price regulation orders and giving advice on enforcement. Before the Cheese Prices (No. 2) (Second Amendment) Order 1975 came into operation a supplementary note explaining its effect was issued to them.
§ Mr. Richard Wainwrightasked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection (1) what was the average, the maximum and the minimum retail and wholesale price, respectively, of English farmhouse Cheddar cheese in the United Kingdom on the first day of each of the last three months;
(2) what were the average, the maximum and the minimum wholesale and retail prices, respectively, for English farmhouse Cheddar cheese in the Yorkshire and Humberside Region on the first day of each of the last three months.
§ Mr. MaclennanThe information requested is not available.