§ 3. Mr. HARDIEasked the President of the Board of Trade whether, from the details from which the Royal Commission on Food Prices gave their Report last year, he can give the percentage of increase of retail shop rents since 1913?
§ Sir B. CHADWICKNo, Sir. I am unable to supplement the information contained in the Report of the Royal Commission.
§ Mr. HARDIEIn view of the enormous increase of rents being passed on to the consumer, are the Board of Trade taking no interest in the matter?
§ Sir B. CHADWICKAs the hon. Gentleman knows, the Food Commission have had this matter before them. They did find that rents had not risen in the same proportion as food prices, but they did not make any report on it. I suppose they did not consider it a part of their duty.
§ Mr. HARDIEWas it so small that the Food Commission considered it was not worth making a report upon, or are we to take it that the Commission want to hide what has taken place in this continued increase of rent?
§ Sir B. CHADWICKI am sure the Food Commission did not want to hide anything. The hon. Gentleman has their 270 Report, and they say, "We have not attempted to estimate what effect such increases may have in the retail cost of food."
§ Mr. HARDIEIn view of what has taken place and of cases which are now on in the City of London, where men are being done to death, so far as their business and their work are concerned, by the continued increases in rent, are the Board of Trade taking no action, as someone is bound to suffer?