§ Mr. Alfred MorrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will institute an inquiry into the profit margins of hearing aid manufacturers; and if he will discuss the prices of non-national health service hearing aids with the organisations of and for disabled people.
§ Mr. Leigh[holding answer 13 January 1992]: No. It is the responsibility of the Director General of Fair Trading to monitor commercial activities affecting consumers. He may conduct an inquiry to establish whether there are sufficient grounds for formal investigation under competition legislation. If the right hon. Member has information that suggests there are anti-competitive practices, he should bring it to the attention of the Director General.