§ Mr. Aspinwallasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) whether he intends to undertake further studies to update the findings of the Office of Fair Trading's competition and retailing report; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what recent representations have been received by his Department or the Office of Fair Trading concerning the matter of discriminatory discounting within the retail grocery sector; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MaudeThe 1985 Office of Fair Trading report, "Competition and Retailing", found no material change in the factors which led the Monopolies and Mergers Commission to conclude, in 1981, that discriminatory discounting had not in general operated against the public interest. There are in our view no grounds at present for further studies. Since the start of this year, my Department and the Office of Fair Trading have received eight representations on the subject.