Catalogue description Records created or inherited by the Department of Prices and Consumer Protection and successors

Department of Prices and Consumer Protection

The Department of Prices and Consumer Protection was established in 1974 to consolidate and expand, under a separate secretary of state, government activities for guarding consumer interests. The department took over responsibilities which had previously been the concern of the former Department of Trade and Industry for policy on prices and consumer affairs, and from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for policy on food prices. The department also gained responsibilities relating to home safety and the safety of consumer goods from the Home Office.

The main function of the Department was to act as the focal point for all measures dealing with retail prices. In this role, it sponsored the Price Commission which had principal responsibility for policy over the whole range of retail prices, including food prices, except for those of the nationalised industries. The department also had overall responsibility for policy on food subsidies, although other departments were required to undertake detailed administration.

The Department consisted of several divisions including: the Consumer Credit Branch; Standards, Weights and Measures; the British Calibration Service; the Weights and Measures Service; Prices Policy; and Fair Trading (including responsibility for restrictive practices and monopolies and mergers legislation). The Director General of Fair Trading was appointed by the Secretary of State.

In addition to the Price Commission, the department also had responsibility for the work of the Office of Fair Trading, the Monopolies and Mergers Commission, the Metrication Board, the British Hallmarking Council, the Hearing Aid Council, the National Consumers Council, the Consumer Protection Advisory Committee, and the Nationalised Industry Consumer Councils. The department's establishment, information, accountancy, legal, and regional services were provided by the appropriate divisions of the Department of Industry. The Department was abolished in 1979.

Consumer Credit Branch

The Consumer Credit Branch was inherited from the Department of Trade and Industry. It was responsible for formulating policy on consumer credit and for regulations on the use of hire purchase. It liaised with the Consumer Credit Division of the Office of Fair Trading.

Prices Policy Divisions

The Prices Policy Divisions were developed from the prices interests of the Department of Trade and Industry's Prices and Incomes Division. One division was concerned with general prices and counter inflation policy, especially in connection with the Price Code and the Price Commission; the other with price regulation and information, the administration of food subsidies, and the relationship between price control and industrial policy.