asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he proposes to introduce legislation to prohibit trading stamps.
25.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answer. - Trading Stamps.
24.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce when the report on his investigation into trading stamps will be available.
26.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce the amount of money paid for trading stamps in the last 12 months or in the latest period for which figures are available.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 24, 25 and 26 together.
As I indicated in reply to a question on this subject last November, views on the practice of giving trading stamps were sought from all interested persons early last year and many submissions reached my Department and have been considered. This matter has, however, been brought up at the Fair Trade Commission's current inquiry into the supply and distribution of groceries. The commission may wish to deal with the matter in their recommendations and I do not think it would be proper for me to arrive at a conclusion until I hear what the commission may have to say.
There are no figures available to me which would enable me to answer the question in regard to the value of trading stamps issued.
The Minister wrote to the Secretary of the Retailers Association last September and said he hoped to have a decision on this matter shortly. That was four months before the Fair Trade Commission sat and the Minister has not yet made up his mind.
Submissions were made to the Department up to the end of 1970. They have now been processed and were it not for the fact that the Fair Trade Commission are considering this matter at present the Minister might well have made a statement on the matter by now. However, it is only fair to the commission that he should withhold making any statement until they have considered the matter.
That is reasonable enough and I accept it. Why did he write last September that he would make a decision?
I would imagine because he did not envisage at that time that the Fair Trade Commission would be dealing with the matter now.
One of the companies in this country with trading stamps takes out £2,000,000 per year. Would the Minister accept that?
I could not accept that because there are no figures available in the Department which give reliable information at all.