asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection by what statutory authority, and upon what Vote, she has incurred costs as follows: £475,000 on advertising, £330,000 on printing retailer kits, and £110,000 on dis- tributing retailer kits, in relation to the selective price restraint scheme.

The £475,000 on advertising and the £110,000 on distribution were incurred on the Vote of the Central Office of Information and the expenditure of £330,000 on printing the retailer kits was incurred on the Vote of Her Majesty's Stationery Office. The statutory authority under which this expenditure was incurred is the Appropriation Act 1975, and the expenditure was covered by a Supplementary Estimate approved by Parliament in the Consolidated Fund Bill which received Royal Assent on 19th December.