§ CAPTAIN DONELAN (Cork, E.)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture whether his attention has been called to the nominal penalties recently imposed in cases of milk adulteration at a petty sessions in County Cork; and whether it will be possible for similar penalties to be imposed, in like cases, under the Sale of Food and Drugs Bill of the present session.
§ MR. G. W. BALFOURAt the request of my right hon. friend I will reply to this question. The answer to the first paragraph is in the affirmative. The Bill referred to in the second paragraph contains special provisions prescribing penalties for offences committed under the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts, the penalties in most cases being maximum sums which may be abated in the discretion of the magistrates.
§ CAPTAIN DONELANIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that in one of the cases referred to, in which the milk was deficient in 30 per cent. of fat, the merely nominal fine of 5s. was imposed? Would it be possible for a similar type of penalty to be imposed in like cases under the Bill passed during the present session?
§ MR. G. W. BALFOURI believe so.