§ 16. Mr. PRINGLEasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will 9 state the articles in respect of which maximum prices have been fixed since the beginning of the War; how long these prices were in operation; and why they were discontinued?
Mr. RUNCIMANFrom early in August last the Board of Trade were advised from time to time by a committee of representatives of the grocery and provision trades of the prices which might, in the opinion of the committee, be regarded as reasonable maximum prices for cash purchases of bacon, butter, cheese, lard, margarine and sugar. Lists of these prices were communicated to the Press immediately on their receipt, the first list being so communicated on August 6th. Revised lists were issued from time to time as recommended by the committee, the latest revised list being issued on October 15th. A notification of a reduction in the wholesale price of sugar, and of the consequent reduction in retail prices, was issued on October 26th by the Royal Commission on the Sugar Supply. The committee is still in being, and a revised list of prices can be issued at any time when deemed desirable.