§ Mr. Weetchasked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection whether he will make an announcement about the future of his Department's grants to consumer advice centres after March 1979.
§ Mr. John FraserMy Department is this year making specific grants totalling approximately £3¾ million available to 309W meet the full running costs of the 120 consumer advice centres in Great Britain. We have decided to extend this grant scheme for a further two years, until March 1981, and intend to maintain the same level of support. We hope to have discussions shortly with the local authority associations about the operation of the scheme.
The form of our support to consumer advice centres beyond 31st March 1981 will be considered as part of a review of local advisory services which the Government intend to undertake. This will take particular account of recommendations which might be made by the Royal Commissions on legal services in England and Wales, and in Scotland. The reports by the National and Scottish Consumer Councils on local advice services will also make an important contribution to this review.