§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection, in the light of the fact that one battery company has a 70 per cent. monopoly of supplies, that the price of its batteries has increased 1.45 per cent. in February and 4.6 per cent. in August 1976 and that it is now asking for a further 7 per cent. increase, if he will refer the proposed increase to the Price Commission; whether the Price Commission when examining this application will consider evidence from trade unions, Members of Parliament and the general public; and whether it will publish its report in full and how it arrived at its recommendations.
§ Mr. MaclennanThe Price Commission announced on 25th November its intention to investigate price increases proposed by the Ever Ready Company (Great Britain) Ltd., the leading United Kingdom manufacturer of dry batteries. The Commission indicated its willingness to receive representations from all sources. As required by the Price Commission Act 1977, its report will contain a statement of its reasons for its recommendations. My right hon. Friend will arrange for its publication, subject only—again as required by the Act—to the omission of any findings of fact whose publication would, in his view, be against the public interest.