§ 48 and 49. Mr. Lyonsasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food (1) whether, in view of the public exasperation at the profiteering that is taking place in the sale of foodstuffs, particularly in speculation going unchecked in goods changing ownership many times prior to leaving their place of storage, and in distribution costs mounting without service being rendered so that consumers prices are entirely out of proportion, to original costs, he will take immediate steps to give some adequate protection to the public;
(2) whether, in order to stop the present profiteering which is permitted throughout the country in relation to the sale of foodstuffs, he will immediately provide, as recommended by the Food Price Investigation Committee, North Midland Region, that producers and importers should be permitted to sell only to wholesalers; that wholesalers should sell only to retailers; that all sales be effected only with the addition of fixed percentages of profit; and that only persons who are registered and licensed be allowed to trade in foodstuffs?
§ 53. Major Sir Edward Cadoganasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he proposes to carry into effect any of the suggestions recently made by the North Midlands Food Prices Investigation Committee, to prevent speculation in foodstuffs by those who render no service in distribution?
54. Mr. Rostron Duckworthasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he proposes to take any action, and, if so, of what nature, to deal with the exploitation by middlemen of certain food products?
Major Lloyd GeorgeI would refer my hon. Friends to my reply yesterday to a Question on this subject by my hon. Friend the Member for Stourbridge (Mr. R. Morgan).
§ Mr. LyonsWill the Minister direct his mind to the fact that it has been proved over and over again that commodities are sold without being removed from the place of storage, and that owing to this racketeering prices to the consumer are made very much higher, yet the Ministry is taking no action at all? There is real public exasperation. Will the Minister act? It is notorious.
Major Lloyd GeorgeMy hon. Friend really is not stating the facts as they are. The report to which he is referring was, as I said yesterday, the result of a Ministry of Food investigation. As the outcome of that investigation maximum prices were applied to many articles and there were standstill orders. Some cases are at this moment under investigation and are sub judice, and therefore, they cannot be discussed now.
§ Mr. LyonsI am not attempting to discuss a matter which is sub judice, but may I ask the Minister whether it is not a fact that for more than a year he and his Department have known that, without any breach of the Regulations and because of the elasticity, these goods could be bought by the profiteers time and time again? Will he not take the simple step of making that process illegal, and so give protection to the harassed persons who are now being exploited day after day?
Major Lloyd GeorgeMy hon. and learned Friend is again stating that no action is being taken. I really must ask him to look at the facts. As a result of our investigation last year, many articles were controlled at all their stages, and breaches of those Regulations are at this moment the subject of investigation and action.