asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state (a) the number of requests sent by the Minister to the Prices Commission under Section 24 (1) of the Control of Prices Act, 1932; (b) the number of representations sent under Section 24 (3) of the said Act; (c) the number of reports made by the commission to the Minister under Section 25 (1) of the said Act; (d) the number of notices issued by the commission under Section 25 (2), (3) and (4) of the said Act, and (e) the number of price orders recommended by the commission under Section 26 (1) of the said Act, and the number of price orders made by the Minister under Section 26 (2) of the said Act.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Control of Prices.
The Prices Commission since its establishment has been engaged in a number of investigations relating to manufacturers' prices for protected commodities and under Section 41 (1) references have been made to the commission to inquire: (1) into the manufacturers' prices for wheaten flour; (2) manufacturers' prices for wheaten meal; (3) manufacturers' prices for mineral hydro-carbon heavy oils; (4) manufacturers' prices for bodies for (a) mechanically propelled vehicles intended for the carriage of goods and (b) omnibuses. In addition, I have under the powers conferred on me by Section 23 of the Act, appointed the commission to hold a public inquiry for the purposes of Section 17 of the Housing (Financial and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1932, into the cost of all materials and appliances used in the building of houses. One request was made by me under Section 24 of the Act to investigate wholesale and retail prices of bread. One representation was received by the commission under Section 24 (3) in relation to the wholesale prices of fish in the City and County of Dublin. The commission has not in any case made a report under Section 25 (1) after the completion of a prices investigation that the prices the subject of such investigation were not unreasonably high. No notices have been issued under Section 25 (2), (3) and (4) of the Act. I have not yet made any order under Section 26 (1) fixing a maximum retail price or under 26 (2) fixing a maximum wholesale price for any commodity.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state how many complaints have been made to the Controller of Prices under Section 33 of the Control of Prices Act, 1932, and how many of such compaints have been inspected under the said Act, and what proceedings, if any, have followed on such inspection, and in how many cases have results followed such proceedings; and further if he will state generally what has been the result of such proceedings.
The total number of complaints made to the Controller of Prices under Section 33 of the Control of Prices Act is 138. The number of cases in which inquiry was made is 65, and in 58 of these cases the controller held that the prices charged were reasonable. In the remaining seven cases, prices were reduced by agreement between the vendors and the controller.
Of the total number of complaints received, investigations could not be made in 68 cases as the complaints either referred to commodities which are not scheduled under the Act or the complainants refused to amplify their complaints so as to comply with the provisions of Section 33 (2) of the Act. Five cases are at present under investigation.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state how many, if any, prosecutions have been instituted under the Control of Prices Act, 1932, in respect of offences in relation to (1) price orders, or (2) manufacturers' price orders.
It has not been found necessary to institute any prosecutions under any section of the Control of Prices Act.