§ 30. Mr. WHITEHOUSEasked the President of the Board of Trade why he has ceased to issue a list of maximum prices for the chief articles of food; and if he proposes to resume the weekly issue of such prices?
Mr. RUNCIMANIn the early days of the War I invited the representatives of certail retail trades to advise what, in their opinion, should be the retail prices of various commodities, and the advice so given was published from time to time. At the present time I think that competition between traders is in most cases a sufficient safeguard. However, I am considering whether it would not be helpful to the purchasing public to publish from time to time the wholesale prices of the various commodities, showing the difference between the present prices and the prices ruling immediately before the War.