§ 16. Mr. BRIANTasked the President of the Board of Trade if, as its Profiteering Department is informed by the Disposal Board of the Ministry of Munitions of sales effected of clothing stores, it takes steps to see that the Profiteering Committee are informed of the purchases, with a view to their taking such action as will prevent the re-sale to consumers at excessive profits?
§ Sir A. GEDDESIt is open to any member of the public to complain to a local committee concerning the profit made or sought by a retailer on the sale of any article of clothing previously purchased from the Disposal Board of the Ministry of Munitions. The Department are, however, in close touch with the Ministry of Munitions concerning the matters referred to in the question.
§ Mr. BRIANTHow is the purchaser to know whether the goods sold by the Ministry of Munitions are being retailed at too high a price unless the Profiteering Committee is informed by the Board of Trade of the purchases?
§ Sir A. GEDDESReally it is beyond the wit of man to provide a scheme by which every article when it arrives at a shop is notified to the local profiteering committee.
§ Mr. BRIANTIf these articles are sold to the purchasers at a fixed percentage of profit should they not also be sold to the consumer at a fixed price to prevent profiteering?
§ Sir A. GEDDESNo, Sir, because that might work out in a most absurd manner. If you fix a profit you have to fix such a 11 profit that the least efficient business dealing with it makes some sort of return. That is a vice which arises in all these eases of control.
§ Mr. MACQUISTENIf the least efficient businesses find the profit is not satisfactory they will not buy these goods, and the public will get the benefit.