§ 27. Mr. CECIL WILSONasked the Minister of Health the approximate cost, during each of the last five years, incurred by local authorities in the inspection of foods and drugs, the number of prosecutions for offences, the number of convictions, and the amount of fines imposed; and in how many cases has imprisonment followed conviction?
§ Sir K. WOODI am circulating in the OFFICIAL REPORT a statement of the expenditure and receipts of local authorities in connection with the work in question during the last five years for which the figures are available. The receipts shown in the statement are principally derived from fines and costs recovered 2048 in successful prosecutions. My right hon. Friend regrets that the other particulars asked for in the question are not available.
§ Mr. WILSONIf they are not available now, can they not be made available for the future?
§ Sir K. WOODI cannot give the hon. Member particulars of the prosecutions and convictions. I am afraid it is impossible to get them.
Commander WILLIAMSIs not the tendency of these figures to show that on the whole adulteration is much less than it used to be?
§ Sir K. WOODI prefer that my hon. and gallant Friend should look at the figures.
Dr. DAVIESWill the hon. Gentleman see that the police are authorised to institute more prosecutions than they do in these cases?
§ Sir K. WOODWe are not discussing the police.
§ Following is the statement:
| Expenditure and receipts of local authorities in England and Wales in connection with the prevention of adulteration, etc., of foods and drugs. | ||
| Year. | Expenditure. | Receipts other than from rates. |
| £ | £ | |
| 1920–21 | 108,493 | 5,866 |
| 1921–22 | 113,075 | 5,719 |
| 1922–23 | 107,269 | 5,092 |
| 1923–24 | 109,019 | 5,397 |
| 1924–25 | 114,080 | 5,188 |