HC Deb 24 November 1919 vol 121 cc1409-12
3. Mr. A. SHORT

asked the President: of the Board of Trade if he will enumerate the articles or purchases actually dealt with under the Profiteering Act and whether he will indicate the articles which have been the subject of a reduction in price in: consequence of the operation of the Act?

Sir A. GEDDES

I am sending the hon. Member copies of the Schedules which have been issued attached to the Orders made by the Board of Trade which will give him the information he desires. With regard to the last part of the question, the factors which determine. price are always numerous and complicated and not infrequently indirect in their action. I am, however, quite satisfied that the price of all the articles scheduled has been affected by the operation of the Act.

4. Mr. SHORT

asked how many cases have been dealt with by local profiteering tribunals and how many by the Central Committee?

Sir A. GEDDES

The reports which have been received from 1,020 local committees show that such committees have dealt with 908 complaints of profiteering. The Central Committee has dealt with thirty-two complaints.

7. Mr. DOYLE

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state how many towns and districts have refused or neglected to appoint profiteering tribunals; what are the reasons given for such refusal; and what action he intends to take to compel recalcitrant bodies to perform what is admittedly a public duty?

Sir A. GEDDES

Out of 2,042 local authorities to whom invitations were sent 214 have not appointed local committees under the Profiteering Act. As regards the remainder of the question I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for South Islington on the 27th October last.

Sir H. COWAN

Having regard to the complete failure of these local tribunals to serve any useful purpose, does the right hon. Gentleman think it worth while to take any further action?

Sir A. GEDDES

I could not possibly agree that they have failed to serve any useful purpose. They have been and are most useful.

8. Mr. DOYLE

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give the constitution of such profiteering tribunals as have 'been appointed; if he will give the percentage of professional men, local manufacturers, local tradesmen, persons of independent means, women, and labour representatives; and what instructions have been issued by his Department as to the proceedings of such tribunals in order to secure a full, free, and disinterested consideration of each case?

Sir A. GEDDES

Copies of the Regulations governing the constitution, powers and procedure of local committees were laid upon the Table of this House on 22nd October last. These Regulations provide that two members of each local committee shall be women, and that labour in the district shall be adequately represented. I do not consider that it would be justifiable to incur the expenditure which would be involved in obtaining figures showing percentages of the various classes represented on the 1,777 local committees already established by local authorities.

15. Mr. DOYLE

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many charges of profiteering had been brought before the various tribunals and the number of convictions; in how many cases had retailers been compelled to return money to customers, and what was the aggregate of the money so returned; how many manufacturers and wholesalers had been shown by retailers to be heavy profiteers; and how many such primary offenders had been summoned and how many had been imprisoned?

Sir A. GEDDES

Of the 1,777 local committees established by local authorities, only 646 have at present rendered a Report to the Board of Trade. These Reports show that 334 complaints have been heard (in 195 of which the retailer was held to be guilty of profiteering), and refunds to customers have been ordered in 169 cases. I am not in a position to state the aggregate amount refunded in these cases. In some 60 cases the local committees have suspected profiteering on the part of the wholesaler or manufacturers, and have referred the cases to the Board of Trade. These are now being dealt with. From Reports received, local committees have ordered prosecution of 41 cases. No case of imprisonment has as yet been reported.

Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHY

When is it expected to have a decision in the first case the Board of Trade has investigated in regard to wholesalers or manufacturers?

Sir A. GEDDES

Some decisions are already on the point of being arrived at. The investigation in regard to manufacturers is necessarily long.