§ 74. Sir H. Morris-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to cases recently before the courts of convictions for illicit drinking, gambling, purveying spurious substitutes for articles of consumption, both food and drink, and racketeering by cornering vital commodities; that many of those convicted had non-British names; that a proportion were of military age; and whether he will introduce legislation imposing much more drastic penalties for these offences?
§ The Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. Peake)The Home Secretary entirely agrees that the law must be sternly enforced against all persons who hinder the war effort by illicit trading practices or by promoting illicit drinking or gambling. Defence Regulations have already been made to facilitate police action against drinking resorts, and further provisions to deal with gambling resorts are under consideration. Recent Regulations have also provided for large increases in the penalties for offences against the food control regulations, and active measures are, it is understood, being taken by the Minister of Labour and National Service to deal with evasions of military service. My hon. Friend will see, therefore, that the powers he suggests already exist or are under consideration.