§ Mr. Wrigglesworthasked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if she will give details of the numbers and salaries of the extra public relations and information officers recruited by her Department and agencies for which it is responsible, between 1970–71 and 1974–75.
§ Mrs. Shirley WilliamsIt is not possible to make this comparison for my Department since 1974–75 was its first year of existence. Since 1970–71 no extra information officers have been appointed to the Metrication Board or the Monopolies and Mergers Commission. The Office of Fair Trading and the Price Commission were both created between 1970–71 and 1974–75, all their information officers filling posts which had not hitherto existed. By the end of 1974–75 the following were in post, the salaries quoted being those now current.
interests. I am sending my hon. and learned Friend a list. They were asked to let us have their views by the end of December, but a number of important interests have sought more time. I hope that the discussions can be concluded by the spring.