asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what was the total cost of his visit to Rochdale on Monday 21st August, including salaries of paid staff ac- companying him; whether these expenses were paid from public funds; whether the visit was a ministerial one; and why the borough Member was not informed of it.

My visit to Rochdale involved no cost to public funds. I very much regret the hon. Member did not receive notice of my visit. This was because the brief visit to Rochdale was added to a programme of North-Western visits shortly before it took place.