§ Mr. Goodladasked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will make a statement on the future of the local price survey scheme.
§ Mrs. Sally OppenheimThis scheme, for which provision of £240,000 was made in the 1979–80 estimates, has not proved to be effective or good value for money. Only 30 per cent. of the public in the areas concerned know of the existence of local price surveys, and awareness is particularly low in the disadvantaged groups to which the surveys were intended to provide most help. Research shows that those who know of the surveys use them infrequently, and that the majority of those aware of the surveys will not miss them.
In these circumstances, the continued existence of the scheme is no longer justified, and I am therefore ending Government support for local price surveys with effect from 1 July, the earliest date on which I can do so. This should result in a saving in the current financial year of approximately £200,000.