§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will increase the exceptions in the restrictive trade practices legislation 1956 to 1978 to permit arrangements designed to encourage energy conservation.
§ Mrs. Sally OppenheimNo. The Restrictive Trade Practices Act 1976, which applies generally to arrangements which contain restrictions of a type which limit competition already enables the Director General to seek a direction from the Secretary of State not to proceed against an arrangement with insignificant restrictions. Section 29 of the Act also empowers the Secretary of State to exempt specific proposed agreements which appear to him to offer certain benefits and to be of substantial importance to the national economy.