asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce what investigations into price increases of various commodities have been carried out since 12th December last (a) by the Fair Trade Commission and (b) by any other means; and what has been the result of such investigations.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Investigations into Price Increases.
30.
The Fair Trade Commission have undertaken general investigations of a widespread nature as well as investigations of particular complaints. In the case of foodstuffs, I understand that of the 58 towns visited by authorised officers of the Commission, 21 towns were visited since 12th December last. The Commission's investigations are not completed in all cases but arising out of reports which they submitted to me I have arranged for prosecutions in certain cases.
In reply to the second part of the Deputy's question, all complaints of undue price increases, ascribed to the turnover tax, were referred for investigation by authorised officers of my Department. The majority of the traders concerned have been visited and it is anticipated that, with the current petering out of complaints, visits to such traders will be completed by the end of the month.
The investigating officers found that the complaints arose for a variety of reasons. In many instances, increases in excess of 2½ per cent were stated to be offset by the pegging of other commodity prices at the pre-1st November level. In others, such price increases were accounted for by reference to marginal increases in manufacturers' or import prices. There were cases of excessive increases due to errors in calculation in the early weeks of the operation of the tax. Traders expressed their willingness to refund the amount overcharged. In certain instances traders established that the complaints made about them were untrue.
Some of the complainants were visited and were informed of the traders' explanations. A number of them advised the investigating officers that the prices position had adjusted itself since the date of complaint. In this regard it is significant that in the period of almost six weeks mentioned by the Deputy less than a dozen complaints have been received in the Department and on the whole the investigation did not produce any significant body of evidence to support allegations that the business community generally sought to exploit the situation.
As far as I can judge from the information available to me the operation of free competition, allied to the publicity given to the measures taken to secure that the turnover tax would be fairly applied, has been largely successful in estabilising the situation and allaying the public concern which was largely caused by the intensive propaganda campaign against the tax.
Is the Minister satisfied from the information he has got that there has not been a very great increase in prices, mainly of foodstuffs, since the introduction of the turnover tax?
I am satisfied.
The Minister is very easily satisfied.
Some of the allegations made, even in this House, were found to be grossly exaggerated, even some made by the leader of the Deputy's Party.
Were not some of them found to be well founded?
I have given a very detailed reply.
Is it not true that the only investigation that has been carried out is in regard to the price of soap?
No, that is not the only investigation.
The Minister stated that the price of soap was investigated?
That is the only case in which a prices advisory committee was set up. The prices advisory procedure is appropriate to manufacturers' prices.