Clause1. — (Avoidance of Conditions for Maintaining Resale Prices.)

Part of Resale Prices Bill – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 23 March 1964.

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Photo of Mr Norman Cole Mr Norman Cole , Bedfordshire South 12:00, 23 March 1964

No. I shall not give way.

All through his remarks, the hon. Member for Cheetham gave no attention at all to this series of Amendments. I can only assume that he thought that it was of no importance that there appears in the Bill for the first time a power to enable us, whether the Board of Trade may or does or shall exercise its power at all, to inquire of every and each trade, and every pat t of each trade, in the future about what is going on. I can tell my right hon. Friend and the hon. Member for Cheetham that I do not imagine that the number of cases raised in the next few years, relating to the working of resale price maintenance, will be limited to eight questions. If the hon. Member thinks that it is a small concession to confer on hon. Members, he must have a poor opinion of Parliament and our duties. I think this is of the greatest importance.

There is one thing which the right hon. Member for Battersea, North might like to tell me in connection with the Bill. We all know that the Labour Party as a whole is in favour of the abolition of resale price maintenance. Some of us remember the Private Member's Bill of 17th January, which, in about three Clauses, abandoned the whole system. It was introduced by the hon. Member for Wednesbury (Mr. Stonehouse), and it appeared that his party was backing him up on it. I ask the right hon. Member for Battersea, North where the Opposition stand on this at the moment. Do they intend to vote on these Amendments or just take no action? Will they do what they did on 10th March? Where do they stand on resale price maintenance today, on 23rd March?