§ Mr. KEIR HARDIEI wish to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer a question, of which I have given him private notice—whether his attention has been called to a circular issued by Messrs. Brooke, Bond and Company to their retail agents pointing out methods whereby the additional tax on tea may be made a means of increasing their profits by an additional ½d. in the pound of tea sold; whether this is to be mainly achieved by withdrawing the 1s. 4d. tea and substituting a 1s. 10d. tea in its stead, whilst the cheapest sorts of tea sold as "Old Toilers" in penny packets to the poor have been withdrawn; whether Lyons and company are following similar practices, and whether he will use his powers under the recently passed special war legislation to prevent the poor being further imposed upon as an outcome of the incresased duty on tea.
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEThe circular referred to by my hon. Friend was only placed in my hands two or three minutes ago, but I have had time to find out that it is a very regrettable document. I should like to go further into the matter. I should like to call Messrs. Brooke, Bond and Company's special attention to it, and see exactly what their explanation is of what on the face of it looks as if this firm were taking advantage of a duty imposed in an hour of great national emergency for the purpose of conducting the War to a successful termination in order to make increased profits out of the very poorest people in the community. I think this is very regrettable, and, if I use a stronger word, I think the House would support me.