asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if he remains satisfied with Consumer Advisory Service; and what plans he has to extend and improve consumer protection and advice.

The Government have provided 100 per cent. support for consumer advice centres over the past two years, with a consequent considerable expansion in this service. But I regret that certain local authorities have rejected the government's support and closed some centres.A full list of plans for improvement of consumer protection and advice would make this answer excessively long, but just as examples I might mention that I have recently circulated proposals for new regulations on consumer credit, that an Order for Price Display for Food and Drink was laid before Parliament on 23rd May and will come into effect on 1st July, and that the White Paper on Nationalised Industries—Cmnd. 7131—published on 5th April set out the Government's plans for improving consumer protection in these industries.