§ 53. Mr. MOLTENOasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether his attention has been drawn to the case of Eliza Bancaster, smallholder, Brassington Farm, Ubberley, Stoke-on-Trent, who was fined £60 on four summonses at Hanley for selling small quantities of pork, amounting to 11¼lb, at 1d. per lb. more than the maxi mum price fixed by the Food Controller; whether he is aware that in defence she stated her ignorance of the Order in relation to the maximum selling price of pork and that, on finding she had made a mistake, notified her several customers accordingly; whether the Food Controller's representative pressed for such penalties; and if so, having regard to the nature of the circumstances attending such cases, whether he will consider the advisability of instructing food control committees not to press for heavy penalties?
§ Mr. CLYNESThere is no record of any charge against the person named, but there is a report of a conviction against a person of somewhat similar name and address on four summonses for selling pork at a price exceeding the maximum price, in respect of which she was fined £15 and costs in each case. These contraventions were detected by the police and prosecuted in the usual way. It is presumed that the defence mentioned in the question was put in, and that the Bench considered it in estimating the penalties. The Food Control Committee were not concerned in the case.