§ Mr. David Youngasked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if, while he is considering whether legislative action is necessary to curtail the practice of operating a reduced price per gallon of petrol instead of reduced price on the total quantity bought, he will consider interim measures to safeguard the consumer; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HattersleyThe most effective way of safeguarding consumers' interests, short of statutory action, is to publicise the practice causing offence so that motorists are well aware of it. I have therefore advised motorists either to avoid garages which give discounts only on whole gallons and not on part gallons or, if
1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents … … 8,250 16,500 16,500 National Consumer Council … … … … 500 320,000 450,000 NCSS (in connection with Citizens Advice Bureaux) … 377,100 766,000 1,193,144 Consumer Advice Centres … … … … Nil 74,502 996,001 The final outturn for 1977–78 depends on various factors but the estimates provisions approved to date are, respectively, £30,000, £526,000, £1,228,000 and £3,237,000. The total provision for consumer advice centres includes a provision of £193,000 for the work of individual citizens advice bureaux. The Written Answer given to the hon. Member for Wallasey on 10th November 1977 included all this information apart from the figures for grants for consumer advice centres. These were excluded because the hon. Member's Question concerned grants to non-statutory organisations. The grants for consumer advice centres are made to local authorities.